RWBY:Spartan Assault
by Johnnieboy11
Summary: After John-117's battle on board Mantle's Approach, the Spartan finds himself, with Cortana in tow, sent to a different world, where monsters roam the wilds, Humanity is confined to 4 major Kingdoms and where Magic and Tech coexist. The Spartan will soon have to join the ranks of the good guys against a horrid threat, whilst also on the lookout for fellow Spartans.
1. PROLOGUE:Taking the Fall

_**AN:Based on JPDE's story slightly, but with a different story arc where John-117 helps the fight(AND NO OTHER UNIVERSES MIX IN) welcome to the rewritten, refurbished and more beautiful RWBY:Spartan Assault! (Spartan Siege Rewritten!)**_

 _ **Earth. 2556. On the Mantle's Approach.**_

A hail of Assault Rifle fire struck the advanced hardlight shielding of a resurgent Ur-Didact. The Forerunner raised his hand to greet Spartan-117, the Master Chief as, above them, the UNSC home fleet poured hellfire down onto the _Mantle's Approach's_ shields. The scarlet energy emanating from the Composer shook the ship, the beam from the Forerunner weapon falling down onto a part of the Earth that Chief didn't know. Gritting his teeth, the Spartan wanted to push through the powerful, focused gravity field that the Didact sent at him, to keep him pinned onto the hardlight bridge, but little could he do.

He watched as the black hulls of UNSC ships flew overhead, with artillery pouring down onto the shields, but to no avail. No shot could pierce the nigh-invisible barrier that protected the massive Forerunner ship. Their only hope now was that the chief utilized the HAVOK nuke he'd brought with him to destroy the ship... Stop the Composer from destroying anymore cities. John felt himself hoisted up as the field the bastard created pushed him over the edge as he held one of his long-winded, annoying speeches... He listened little, eyes focused on the Havok that now lay on the ground.

He heard Cortana's voice... "Then you won't mind if we return the favor!" as her Clones emerged from the hardlight bridge, forming holographic shackles for the Didact, one of which wrested his control over the Chief. Grabbing onto the ledge of the Bridge, he climbed... Climbed... And took out a Forerunner Field Grenade... He watched as the Didact tried to fight, then slammed the bomb into the bastard's chest.

With an explosion knocking the Didact off before he could utilize that damned gravity field, Cortana let go of him... The Didact fell into the Composer's Abyss, a swirling whirlwind of energy and darkness... Not to be seen by the Chief again. This left the Havok. Chief crawled. He crawled toward the WMD with all the strength left in his upper body. Grabbing onto the device, he looked up... The UNSC Navy fought, still. Cannon fire, MAC rounds, Missiles, all disappeared, sent off by the unseen walls. He took one last look at Earth... Then looked at the bomb and slammed the detonator without hesitating...

A white light overtook him. The flash from the explosion, even though his visor was polarized to the max, was blinding. He inhaled, but felt no burning. He tried to move, but he felt held in place. He couldn't look around, his armor had locked. With a grunt, he wanted to speak, but failed to do so. The Spartan relaxed. Perhaps this was how it was just after death. Complete paralysis. Just nothingness... He closed his eyes... And darkness came...

Then, a voice...

" _... n! ... ohn!_ "

It was faint. But familiar.

" _John! John!"_

She was calling out. Cortana?

"JOHN! WAKE UP!" She then yelled, this time loud and clear. The Spartan gasped for air and gripped tightly onto something hard. Opening his eyes, he saw space spinning all around him. Glimmering white dots surrounded him in a sea of inky blackness. He felt his joints mobile again, so he moved them, feeling what he gripped locked to his boots. He looked down at what he was settled upon and found a piece of Forerunner alloys, inscribed with all sorts of symbols and torn from the _Mantle's Approach_. The nuke did that. Radiation pinged off the singed metal like it did back during the Kurt event.

"Cortana, I'm up. Give me a status report." Chief asked as calmly as he could, returning to his stoic military demeanor... Something was off, he felt. He shut that feeling in the back of his mind, then looked at the Armor status. The MJOLNIR set was holding off Cherenkov Radiation, resembling more and more the event where Kurt went MIA. He breathed in, to steady himself, then fired his armor's Thrusters to steady himself on a calm trajectory.

"Thank God..." He heard Cortana breathe out in relief. "John, you woke up just in time."

"Where are we?" He asked, looking around.

Cortana nodded, then said "Above a planet, John, just not Earth. Our current course has us crashing directly onto its surface." bringing up a 2D map showing their descent through to the planet's surface. Ahead of them, a debris field. Asteroids. And half a moon... The Chief would ask a load of questions about this, but for now, they needed to survive the Crash Landing.

"We're going through a debris field. Can you adjust?" John asked.

Cortana hummed, then said "A moment." then flashed a few calculations in a corner of the Spartan's HUD. She hummed again, then said "Got it. Mind if I drive for a bit? I'll lock down your armor, so you won't feel a thing as we go through." as she set up a map on John's HUD. The descent map with the added course corrections. John sighed, then nodded. He hated Armor Lock... But would live with it for now, if it meant surviving a fall from outer space.

He watched as the debris appeared ahead of him and felt the jerk of Thrusters firing as Cortana made course adjustments, whilst also keeping hold of the piece of debris they needed for re-entry. This felt oh-so-eerily familiar. The last tour of duty on Earth started much the same way, with him falling out of space. Except this time he went through some strange version of Slipstream, as far as he could tell. Only Slipstream gave off this much Cherenkov Radiation.

A dodge to the left, a veer to the right, a sudden spin to avoid a really big chunk of rock and that was the debris field. Whatever held those rocks in place, they were tidally locked to the Broken Moon in the sky. He huffed when he felt a sudden deceleration, as the forward thrusters were fired. He watched as the sun of the solar system appeared from the horizon and the continent they were gonna land on materialized from the darkness. Grassy fields, plateaus and mountains. John also saw faint lights somewhere on the planet's surface.

"ETA until we start burning?" John asked... His visor automatically polarized as the fire overtook the plate below him, flaring his shields as the Spartan and his makeshift heat shield entered the atmosphere. John sighed, then said "Nevermind." as he heard a sly giggle from Cortana. He watched as dawn hit the unknown planet below him and heard a ping in his Radio.

"We just passed in contact with a Radio wave of some sort. It was powerful, so the antenna transmitting it is close." Cortana said, trying to pinpoint it "Found it... We're landing in the middle of a compound, Chief. Brace yourself. I'm detecting automated defenses currently active within it." She then warned while making the adjustments for landing.

"This is gonna be interesting... Might I suggest clenching your teeth?" Cortana noted rather jovially as the Spartan saw the quickly-approaching ground lit up in an orange hue. He sighed, then gritted his teeth and felt the armor harden further. A sudden deceleration and a nauseating feeling of an almost instant, not to mention harsh impact with the ground, sent Chief tumbling away from his makeshift heat shield. He heard thunder crack as he smacked through what felt like two trees, then felt himself grind to a sudden, slightly painful halt as his shields almost instantly burst and the warning alarm blared in his helmet.

He tasted a coppery liquid in his mouth as the armor lock was soon gone, freeing him to move. He lay there for a few seconds, trying to get his bearings. He opened his eyes and let out a breath he had been holding onto for long enough and felt pain in the right side of his chest. Exhaling, painfully, he then spoke "Cortana, give me a damage report."

"The armor's a little scratched." She said dismissively, then turned to a more serious tone "You, on the other hand, are lucky... As usual..." John heard her add under her breath, but with relief to her voice. "You've got the right rib number 10 broken and it just missed your right lung by inches. Armor lock helped soften the blow, but you can't really protect that well against almost ten thousand PSI of impact force. Add to that that we lost the makeshift heat shield after slamming into the dirt and, well, you can tell the results. Does it hurt?"

John managed to stand up without much fuss, answering Cortana's question mutely. He sighed, then asked "Cortana?"

"Yeah?" She asked, a slight bit worried.

"Do you actually believe in God?" He then asked mockingly as he patted off the dirt, dust and wood chips that had embedded themselves into his armor. His shields flashed, then reactivated, covering him once again in the invisible blanket of Hardlight energy. He swallowed the blood and bit back a grunt, stowing the pain away as he started walking. The sun lazily rose ahead of him, due East, lighting up a strange, conical antenna a few hundred feet away from him. It lay on a reinforced concrete tower and John now saw what he had slammed so hard against. Walls made of similar concrete mounted anti-air and anti-infantry turrets resembling of Gatling and Auto-Cannons. He watched as the weapons snapped to and fro, aimed at only the outside of the wall. Dozens of them lined up the wall surrounding the compound, laser scanners active, sweeping outside.

"It was spur of the moment." Cortana answered him in amusement "We made a pretty nasty crack in the wall behind us. The turrets are busy with other things, it seems. None of'em bothered to shoot at us. Probably because of our reentry speed and direct trajectory, but someone within this compound must've noticed us." She then added, rebooting John's HUD. His visor flashed, lit up cyan and then showed all information necessary once more, including the Motion Tracker, which showed only him.

"If they did, they aren't in a hurry to send anyone after us." John commented dryly as he started walking toward the Antenna. Cortana hummed in agreement.

"John. The Antenna doesn't only work as a Radio source... As far as I can tell anyways. I've examined its patterns now. Television, a planetary Intranet full of info... Et Cetera. Could be helpful if you got me into the system." Cortana explained to the Spartan. He agreed. They needed intel and damn well lots of it. This place didn't feel like any Colony or Insurgent World he knew of. Not this advanced to have everything outsourced through one Antenna.

He saw a console at the base of the antenna and moved for it. The closer he got, the more details he could make out, including its seeming operating system. A holographic console with several screens and a port for chips that, as luck would have it, fit Cortana's chip. She chirped in "Yank me." to which the Spartan removed the chip from his helmet, then locked it into the console. He swiveled about and drew his M6 Magnum(Which was still somehow attached to his hip) and aimed it around. He heard Cortana calmly hum as she looked through the Data...

Then heard her say "Well... This is interesting. Chief, yank me and let's get out of here. Looks like I tripped a little failsafe protocol that may or may not have us walking out to a fight. There's a rather massive settlement close by you can... I was going to say 'blend into', but considering you're wearing a MJOLNIR set..." She sighed "Just follow the NAV Point."

 ** _Somewhere within the Settlement..._**

"Headmaster."

"Yes?"

"Someone attempted an unauthorized access into the CCTS Network. From a nearby Signal Station Antenna. Residential Sector 02."

"I presume a Huntsman Team was dispatched?"

"Yes, though it may take them a while to reach it. This coincides with that meteorite strike in the same area, funnily enough."

"I see... Keep me updated, Glynda. And go into Vale... Our mysterious Alien may already be in-town."

"Will do, sir."

 ** _Back with the Chief._**

The Spartan moved stealthily(As much as his armor allowed him to) through and out into the surrounding wildwoods. His pistol still drawn, the man dashed through, past trees with high enough speed to be compared to a moving car. He utilized his Thrusters to move faster, keeping an eye on his Motion Tracker as he jumped over and slid under fallen trees. The Spartan had moved so fast, he'd already reached the outskirts of a town as it seemed.

Several European-style buildings appeared, alongside paved streets and a road leading into the forest. High-rises, highways in the far distance and open, clean streets. John sighed, then said "You never mentioned it'd be a city, Cortana." as he walked in toward the side alleys, trying to stay hidden. Cortana hummed. It was clear that she was working on the Data she pulled off the planetary Intranet. Meanwhile, it was best to keep an eye out and lay low...

"Uh, John..." Cortana noted... John felt himself halt suddenly as he bumped into something.

"What was..." He looked down.

"I was just about to say... There was a strange device or... I guess Person walking toward us." Cortana noted. As John looked down, he saw a petite girl, with flowing, shoulder-length ginger hair, emerald eyes, freckles and a cute, but confused expression, staring up at him. She had clothes that perfectly fit her style. Cute, frilly, but not too much. The two were in the middle of a rather wide alleyway. Trash bags lay piled in a corner, a dumpster in the far back and of course, an exit to the main street on the other side. John, however, was kind of stuck.

"Oh, hello!" The girl said cheerfully, her voice as sweet as honey and her smile as pretty as few John had seen. W-wait, what was he... He shook his head, then said "Hello to you as well? Who are... Who are you?"

"My name is Penny. Who are you, Sky Man?" She spoke calmly, smile withstanding. John paused for a moment...

"Sky Man?" John asked. "I... Did you happen see my re-entry?"

"Into the Atmosphere. Yes. It was quite a steep angle, at almost ninety degrees, nearly perpendicular to the surface." The girl denoted rather smartly "I presume you at least had a makeshift Heat Shield? Even with your Armor, you probably would've burned up in-atmosphere otherwise. I was wondering why a Meteoroid would fall so close to Vale, but then I realized it must've been something entirely different."

"What a smart girl!" Cortana exclaimed in John's helmet, probably smiling with her non-existent lips. John smacked his helmet, only to see Penny look weirdly at him, then heard Cortana say "Sorry... You should probably introduce yourself, John... I went through some data and, please, do listen to me here, You may need a cover name. This place has no idea who or what the UNSC is, or anything even remotely relating to our lives, worlds, colonies, et-cetera. I'll tell you more when we're somewhere safe, but for now a Cover name may... Well be needed."

After Cortana told him a quick surname and family name(Which he'd memorized within seconds), the Spartan said "Forgive me, I didn't introduce myself... I am Dylan Braun." reluctantly having just given the fake name. The girl examined him, then with a smile, extended her hand and exclaimed in an even more cheerful demeanor "Sa-lu-tations, Dylan! A pleasure to meet you!"

"Uhm... Likewise, Penny." Chief then said. He hated lying... But then again, he needed to keep his ID a secret. He disliked being called John by people he knew nothing of. Cortana, doctor Halsey and his fellow Spartans were the only ones he would trust with his real name for now. But a family name? It was... odd to have. He was so used to his rank by now, that hearing himself be called by a family name was going to be weird...

A thundering Roar made him uneasy, but the rumble in his stomach told him what it was. Oh, for the love of God, his last meal had been almost a week ago. What did his stomach need from him now? Penny paused for a moment, then looked to him and said "You're hungry. Let me go bring you some food!" to which the Spartan's eyebrow raised...

"Take off your helmet, John..." Cortana sighed. "Do I have to be the voice of reason here?"

The Spartan did as asked, removing the helmet and revealing his nearly shaven brown hair. His blue eyes peered toward a surprised Penny, who seemed to blush for a moment... Before she also noticed the scars on the handsome young man's face. She dashed to and checked them, awfully close and moving his head with her hands, checking side to side.

"These wounds are old! What caused them?" She asked with concern.

"Err... W-What...?" John actually stuttered for a moment. She backed off, then scratched her chin. It was like a lightbulb went off above her head in a nearly comical pattern. She showed him to wait, before dashing off. John heard Cortana giggling like a giddy schoolgirl in his helmet, then slammed it against his thigh almost to hard. She didn't stop, the giggle turning into full-on laughter. The Spartan rubbed his forehead, trying to also wipe away the embarrassing blush. He muted Cortana before it went too far, watching as Penny appeared with what looked like a tray of Fast Food(Two burgers, a pack of large fries and a soda? Chief had seen these foods before... Never ate them, though)

"Here you go. Eat up, Dylan. You're probably famished." She then said, handing John the tray. He nodded, then said "Thank you, Penny, but, you shouldn't have bothered... I went weeks without food at times. A small hunger like this, I could've easily dealt with." to which Penny gasped. She looked at him curiously, both worried and waiting for him to take a bite...

He sighed, rolled his eyes, then sat down next to a wall, leaning himself and setting his helmet next to him, before he started eating. He took a bite out of the burger first and... Well, fucking froze. His eyes wide, the Spartan looked at the piece of defrosted and fast-cooked food like it was a little slice of heaven. Trying a fry next, the Spartan had to pause for a moment. He inhaled, then said a quick "Thank you, Penny." Before diving in. Penny sat down next to him and smiled, watching him eat...

He looked to her, then extended to her the second burger. She waved it off and said "No thanks. I..." She paused, then chuckled awkwardly and said "I just ate..." before she hiccuped. "Anyways! What is with those scars? What caused them?" to which the Spartan paused. He looked to Penny once more, a look of seriousness in his eyes. The girl didn't get the cue, but still, the look made her turn away... John's stare was so intense.

"It's a long story. One I don't trust a lot of people to tell to, much less a... Forgive me for being tactless, Penny, but, you're still a complete stranger to me. I wish to thank you for the food, however." John said, then turned to another side... He looked at a puddle of water next to him, that reflected his view of a young man, much younger than he was. Scarred, wounded, young and strong. With a jawline... He paused for a second, eyes wide, but his expression unchanged. He straightened up as he realized...

That was _HIM!_

"Are you okay, Dylan?" Penny asked, looking at him. He nodded quickly, turning back to the food. He'd have to ask Cortana about this later... Still, he looked to Penny, who then said "Don't worry. I understand. And don't worry about food..." She then looked to the floor "It's the least I can do for a fellow person." to which John paused. He wanted to thank her with more than words. He'd worry about his sudden de-aging later.

"Is there anything you want, Penny? I wish to repay this in some way at least." Chief then said, looking at the girl with the same dull face he usually had. Penny's eyes widened and she blushed, shaking her head, before she said "No no, you don't need to bother, Dylan!" to which the Spartan sighed, then said "Of course, I do. I don't leave debts unpaid. And I want to know if there's anything I can do for you now... That does not involve money, since I've sadly got none."

"Uhh..." Penny blushed... She looked away. God damn it, she was cute. Chief got it. No need to rub it in his face... She then looked to him and mumbled something incoherent, even to John's advanced hearing. John deadpanned "Say again, please?" to which she looked at him with the most 'kicked puppy' look out there. One that made even John's stone heart slightly skip a beat. The words that came next, however...

"Would you be my friend?" She then asked... The Spartan paused, then said "Is... That all?" as he stood up to throw the remnants of the tray to the trash, with the tray to follow. Penny looked at him, then nodded and said "Well, you see, I don't have that many friends. One of them is in a school nearby and for the others in her team, I'm not so sure we can consider friends so..."

Well, that certainly was heartbreaking. If a girl like her, who was kindness incarnate from what John could tell, wouldn't get a friend, how the hell had John gotten his team? Aside from being basically forced to live together, that was. He sighed, then, bringing an actual, genuine smile to his lips, said "Penny, I believe that we already are Friends... At least from my point of view, I owe you that much for you helping me with food."

Penny's face immediately lit up as she jumped to her feet and asked "Really!?" to which John nodded and said "Yes. Really." and saw her smile, before raising her hands in the air and screaming at the top of her lungs "SEN-SATIONAL!" so gleeful it made the Spartan keep the smile. At least... Well, until she bodyslammed him so hard it actually made him fall. God, what was this girl made out of? No matter, her incoherent babbling of 'thank you's and everything else made it worth it. It still knocked the air out of John's lungs somehow. And dented his armor, slightly.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Cortana could only help but laugh... "THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN TRIP, I CAN JUST TELL ALREADY!" and she continued laughing aloud, despite neither John, nor Penny hearing her. A laugh, hearty and loud. One that hopefully predicted only good things going on within the next few weeks of their lives. She just had a feeling. A good one...


	2. A Shining Beacon

John had no weapons to speak of. Save for his MJOLNIR armor and pistol, that was all. He knew he'd damn well need weapons to defend himself with, since he more than likely couldn't just punch his way through whatever threat came his way. Still, the fact Penny gathered he needed help was working out in his favor, thankfully. He'd have to find a way to repay her kindness, since he felt just the friendship she asked for was too little.

As they walked through the streets of the city known as Vale, the Spartan looked about. Crystalline light-posts, glass benches and strange architecture, resembling 20th Century European buildings. The people walking about were colorful enough too. But none seemed to pose any kind of threat so far... He paused, then pushed Penny out of the way and jumped high, dodging a whip of lilac light that nearly grabbed him. He drew his sidearm, then silently followed the whip, dodging each grapple attempt from it with ease. Penny followed him, unsure of what was going on despite seeing the whip herself.

The Spartan skidded to a halt, then raised his handgun and aimed it at the enemy:a woman in her early thirties, with blonde hair caught in a bun, emerald eyes hidden behind a pair of reading glasses. She had a white shirt, a black skirt and a cape that was purple on the inside, with black on the outside, resembling something from Fantasy. She also held a riding crop in her hand, out of which the strange construct of light that nearly struck him 3 times appeared. She seemed surprised.

"You dodged all my restraint attempts. No human should have that speed." The woman noted, pushing the spectacles up onto the bridge of her nose with her free hand. Chief clicked the safety of his handgun to 'off', not uttering a single word to the would-be captor. The woman scowled, then said "Are you going to talk, or should I just knock you out where you stand and take you with me?"

Once again, no answer. The Spartan eased his finger on the trigger, to which the woman took a combative stance. The wand she carried crackled with lilac energy. Cortana chimed in and spoke to the Chief "Shouldn't we... I don't know... Keep this civil? Not start a shootout in the middle of a civilian-occupied area?" as calmly as she could. The Spartan hummed...

"Wait!" Penny said, stepping in between him and that woman, making the chief lower the hand-gun. "Why are you trying to capture Dylan?" She then demanded of the woman ahead. He stepped up beside Penny and kept the gun lowered, but the safety off. The woman simply frowned, looking at them and readying her crop. The Spartan stood there, staring at her through the tinted orange visor.

"Do you wish to join him, young lady?" The woman asked menacingly.

"He's done nothing wrong." Penny answered sternly. It was clear both of them were dangerous... Even more so when the Chief heard a mechanical hum and looked behind Penny, to see 6 different blades seemingly floating behind her, each bearing symbols and Penny's color palette. He saw the thin metal wires holding the weapons up into the air, as if held up by magnetism.

"I can't know that yet." The woman returned "Unless I get to talk to him."

The Spartan paused, hearing a ringtone and seeing the woman's face contort into a grimace. She sighed deeply, then said "Of all times, now..." before utilizing her free hand to pull a strange device out of her pocket and answer it. "Yes, Headmaster?" allowing the Spartan to ease the finger off the trigger. He saw the woman frown and answer to the voice they couldn't hear "I was bringing them back to you..." then pause and look at Penny "... Oh... I see." and, with a sigh, lowered her riding crop/wand. The Spartan holstered his pistol and Penny's swords hid themselves away in her backpack.

A tense situation defused, the woman sighed, then said "No, he doesn't seem harmless..."

"Oh, he isn't!" Penny smiled. "But I bet he won't harm other humans! Will you, Dylan?"

The Spartan shook his head and crossed his arms.

"He isn't very talkative, either, is he?" She noted, looking at the Chief. Penny shook her head, to which the woman sighed and said "I will tell you, then. Whoever you may be, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy requested your presence. And trust me, I know him. He won't take no for an answer, even if he just berated me over trying to bring you in the hard way. As for you, miss Polendina, General Ironwood is also present."

"W-Wait! You're from Beacon!? That means you know Ruby!" Penny noted very happily. Chief immediately saw the woman's shoulders slack and her frown turn into a smile. A sudden change of pace, but a welcome one.

"Of course, any girl willing to stand up to a fully-fledged Huntress would be a friend of miss Rose. I'm Glynda Goodwitch, headmistress and combat professor at Beacon." Glynda nodded to Penny. She then looked to Jo-err... Dylan and asked "If you could at least give me a name, It'd be easier for us to talk." before crossing her arms. The Spartan nodded.

"Dylan Braun. Master Chief Petty Officer." The Spartan returned calmly.

"Oh, so a military man?" Glynda noted. Even Penny raised a brow. Goodwitch continued calmly "Understood. Follow me to the Bullhead Landing, please."

The Bullhead, as called by miss Goodwitch, was a poorly-armored, unarmed drop ship with VTOL capabilities. It had a grey hull and the coat-of-arms of Vale on its tail. Two spears crossed in front of a cogwheel shield. The Spartan felt uneasy aboard such a poorly-armored craft, but yet he stood still, waiting for the ship to land near by their target. Beacon Academy.

"Are you well, Master Chief?" Glynda asked. The Spartan nodded.

"Easy does it, Chief." Cortana said "We're about to reach Beacon. May I suggest looking out the window?"

The Spartan turned his head, to see the large buildings of Beacon. A massive central spire, which both worked as a clocktower and as a... Well, 'beacon', where Emerald light seemed to flow through and out. The landing pad and a garden with several decorative structures resided at and near the edge of the Beacon Cliff, respectively, as below them, a river flowed down into a large lake. The rest of Beacon was residential in nature, with tall habitation blocks going half the height of the Tower.

The bird swung by to the landing site and then landed, allowing the trio to step off onto the concrete and the paved road that led to the center of Beacon. Chief noticed very few people walking around. He heard Penny speak "Beacon seems rather empty today." as she walked to his side. Glynda lead the two of them toward the tower, with a calm humming.

"Winter break is about to end." Glynda noted "The students on break will return within the coming days."

"Oh." Penny smiled. "I see."

The Spartan watched as they approached the tower. The building in itself grew in size the closer they got to it. They entered the tower, to soon find an open area with three elevators to the far left. Walking into one of the ones already there, Glynda pressed a button, but found she, Penny and the Chief barely fit as was, thanks to the Spartan's armor. She looked to him, then asked "How... Heavy... is that armor?"

"1000 lbs by itself." He said calmly, much to Glynda's surprise

"I believe it is powered." Penny said. "Correct?"

He nodded. The elevator let out a ding and thankfully, the door slid open, allowing freedom of movement to both them and the Spartan. As they walked out, they were greeted by an open office, with book shelves on the far right wall and an open window behind the main glass desk, with the Clock behind it(Reversed). Standing up behind the desk, an elderly man with silver-grey hair and golden eyes hidden behind tiny shades looked at Glynda and her new arrivals, then smiled. He wore an emerald scarf with a cogwheel brooch attached to it, made of silver, as well as an emerald suit with a black vest underneath and a pair of brown leather shoes.

Sitting beside him was a man of about his age, with dark-blue eyes and black, crew-cut hair that went grey at the sides. He wore a white military uniform made up of a trench coat which reached down to his knees, unbuttoned to show the strange shade of metal-blue of the shirt, as well as a red tie knotted around his neck and hidden underneath the main shirt. He had a pair of combat boots, black, tied to his legs and white pants, as well as, from what Chief could see, a holster that held a rather impressive handgun. He had a level gaze, very much like that of a war veteran. He also had a glove on his right hand and a strange patch on the top of his forehead.

"Headmaster, General." Glynda nodded. "I brought them, as asked."

"John, I have a hint of a feeling they're gonna ask you some questions, relating to where you come from. I've decompiled more of the data I got from the Antenna, so follow my lead and say exactly what I say... We'll give you a background worthy of mention."

He absentmindedly nodded, then took a more straight posture as both men ahead looked at him.

"By the Gods... Look at that armor." The man in the military uniform said, eyes wide.

"James?" The Headmaster took his attention. The General cleared his throat, then nodded, allowing Ozpin to walk up to the Chief and say "Please, forgive General Ironwood. I can agree with him, your armor looks like an endearing piece of hardware, but considering you must've come to our world with it, I doubt you'd be willing to part so soon after landing." before extending his hand to the Chief in a friendly manner "I am Headmaster Ozpin, of Beacon Academy."

The Spartan took his hand and shook it, then, as Cortana whispered into his ear, spoke "Dylan Braun. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy." with his usual stern tone. Ozpin's brow raised as he examined the soldier. The general seemed to tense for a moment, watching as the Spartan waited patiently. Glynda looked to him, as did Penny, watching for any movement.

"Which Navy, Master Chief?" Ozpin asked.

"Royal Navy of the now-defunct Kingdom of Wyvern." The Spartan said without flinching. Oz, meanwhile, took pause, looking at the soldier's armor for any definitive symbols. Most of the armor, however, was scratched, dented and near-completely busted up on the outside. No symbols remained, save for the olive drab color on the strange metallic plates making up the outside layer.

"We've never heard of such a kingdom, Master Chief." Ironwood noted, scratching his chin.

"You wouldn't have been able to, sir. It was formed of deserters from the Mantle Military, Valerian traders that wanted out from being under constant threat from the Grimm and an expedition from Vacuo." The Spartan recited without so much as a fault. "One general Marriott disappeared with the entire army under her command during the Great War's second year, did she not?"

"She..." Ironwood looked surprised, then sighed "That she did. And my predecessors never were able to track her or her crews. But that was almost 100 years ago, Master Chief. You're meaning to tell me that nothing and _no one_ from that kingdom ever bothered to call to the outside? Not even general Marriott? Or anyone who missed their family from before...?"

"Negative, sir... High concentrations of Gravity Dust in the mountain area, where my ancestors settled, made sure that communication systems of any kind wouldn't work even if they wanted to. And the sea around us was more than treacherous, with only one month out of 12 where we could safely travel to and fro... And even then, barely." The Chief responded. He'd have to ask Cortana about _all the terms_ he just used to get everything checked into his data system. He also hated how he said his allegiance was different than the UNSC. Still... Better than explaining everything. And he wanted to make sure to get on their good side.

Not that lying would help with that, but still...

"How'd Wyvern fall, mister Braun? If you're here, surely, something must have happened to it." Ozpin observed.

"It..." The Spartan looked to Ozpin "The communication blackout caused the people to become unnerved, up to the point that dissent spread throughout both the normal civilians in the Kingdom's walls and the Military, as many believed that General Marriott and her family, the rulers of Wyvern, wanted to keep us all in check. Our desire to keep ourselves isolated was, in the end, what brought our downfall."

"As dissent turned to strikes." Penny noted, recalling some historical kingdoms falling much the same.

"Strikes turned to protests. The protests turned violent and..." John paused, letting the air in the room become heavier and heavier.

"... The amalgam of negative emotions brought the Grimm bearing down on your Kingdom..." Ozpin finished, then he sighed deeply in frustration, fingers interlaced and hands resting on his desk. He continued "That does not, however, explain your drop from space, Master Chief... Or at least from near it." he then continued inquisitively. The Spartan let Cortana talk a bit more to him... Then answered.

"I... Did not want to recollect these events, but very well." He lied, trying to act convincing. "I was part of those soldiers still loyal to the Kingdom, within the Navy. I and my ship, the _Forward Unto Dawn_ , a Frigate, with four of my Crew, were fighting against Rebel-owned ships. The Rebels had raised tensions so high within the Kingdom, that the Navy and Army were forced to intervene. Terror attacks, bombings, shootings, all to raise panic within the Kingdom. As we destroyed one of their ships, ours took a hit too, without me realizing it."

Seeing them still listening, he continued "The battle was lost, apparently... The Grimm had broken into the city through the Eastern Wall, where we were fighting and were already nearing the Town Square, where a great deal of people were already protesting, whilst the Rebels did their dirty work fighting us. A warning blared within our ship:Gravitational Cascade activated. The Cascade was our trump card... And last resort. A weapon made of hundreds of thousands of Gravity Dust crystals of high purity and even higher volatility... For when the Grimm finally got to us. General Marriott was always paranoid. Our ship was ordered to leave as fast as possible, warn other Kingdoms if possible. The Height we reached was nearing the extreme exosphere when the detonation occurred, destroying the entire kingdom, without harming the surrounding area... Then the damage to our ship took its toll."

He sighed, then continued "Our ship was severely damaged by the hits we took from the Rebels. Enough so that it was soon falling out of the sky. And about to detonate. My crew sacrificed themselves to save my life, despite my protests. As the ship detonated, I was launched out of the Airlock right at the edge of space. All I could grab was a remnant of the ship, that turned into my heat shield upon descent back down to Remnant. And from then on, I met miss Penny, Professor Goodwitch and wound up in Beacon."

 _"Cortana, remind me to help you with your next defragmentation... That has to be one thorough Cover Story."_ John thought to himself. " _Almost ONI-worthy."_

"That was... Interesting." Ozpin said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "You have my condolences for both your Kingdom and the crew of your ship, Master Chief."

"I appreciate the thought, sir." Chief nodded.

"I never thought that one of my predecessors went and founded her own Kingdom." Ironwood sighed deeply. "Master Chief, thank you for enlightening Briefing. Now, you were here for something more, I believe. As was miss Polendina."

"Indeed." Ozpin smiled. "Master Chief, I'd like to ask you something. Would you be keen to... Join forces with us for now? I presume you are some sort of Special Operative, due to your armor, since, and forgive me if I am wrong, I doubt that the entire Kingdom military of Wyvern could've been armed with such advanced sets of armor." he then explained. "You will be living in my School and training with my students."

"I see, sir... And yes, you're right. I and my crew were part of a Special Operations force. The last of its kind, actually." Chief responded. He looked to a smiling Penny, who clapped her hands together.

"This is so amazing, Dylan! They're asking you to join Beacon!" She said happily.

"Yes... I'm thinking about it." He answered calmly. He saw a look in Penny's eyes. One of sadness... With a deep sigh, he looked to Ozpin, then suggested "General Ironwood, Headmaster, perhaps Penny should be allowed into Beacon too. She has been my first contact with Vale and the rest of Remnant as a whole, though I presume she is... Mantle?"

"Atlas." Ironwood nodded, then said "And I'm not sure her father would approve. He specifically asked me to keep her safe."

"I found her wandering the city, General. With all due respect, I believe, if this is about safety, Beacon is probably one of the most safe spots she can be in. This is a School, after all." Chief suggested, to which Ironwood's brow raised, whilst Penny looked excited... The Spartan took it as his cue to continue "Vale is a city with a wide variety of people and possible interactions, not all of them beneficial for Penny. Whilst I do not doubt she can defend herself, it's best if she is somewhere in a place such as Beacon, where there are adults and people of her age and behavior."

"I..." Ironwood hesitated.

"Oh, come now, James... Like the Master Chief said, she is his first interaction with the outside of his former Kingdom, which may well better help him adapt to the world surrounding him now. Plus, Beacon is, as aforementioned, a school. A school for Huntsmen and Huntresses. Penny would most definitely be safe among them." Ozpin smiled. Ironwood, meanwhile, frowned. The General sighed, surrendering this one to him and the Chief.

"Very well. I will call mr. Polendina and inform him of the changes." Ironwood sighed deeply in resignation again. He looked to the Spartan, then said "You would best take care of her, Master Chief."

"I will consider it a priority mission, sir." The Chief answered with a light nod. Penny gasped, then looked to James, to Ozpin, Glynda and finally ,the Chief, before pouncing on him and sending him a step back, with a joyous squeal. She hugged tightly onto his waist, unable to utter a thank you and simply spewing gibberish. Ozpin chuckled, looking to the Spartan, as Ironwood had just left the room with one of the Elevators.

"You've your job cut out for you, Master Chief. Also, I should note, students stay within Beacon in _teams_. That means you will be assigned a dormitory where you will sleep alongside them." to which John's eyes widened. Thank Goodness for the visor, they couldn't see... A new team? How would he adapt? He needed Blue team back, that much he knew.

"I will assign two of my contacts to it. One of them should already be here. You will find her... Interesting. Also, you will have an entrance exam which all students must take come this Sunday. Do not worry, nothing too hard." Ozpin's smirk was hidden behind his hands, which he held up to his mouth, interlaced. "You are free to go, mr. Braun. I will have one of our students join you to take you to the Dorms. Welcome to Beacon."

The Chief nodded as he and the clamping Penny walked to the Elevator... And left.

"What do you think, Ozpin?" Glynda asked, looking to him.

"I believe he's hiding something, but I will not press him about it... If he turns into a liability, the girls will know what to do with him." Ozpin noted. He sighed "I miss when my life was simpler, but alas... She probably knows more about him than we do." He then continued, leaning back into his chair and pouring a cup of coffee into his Vale-brand mug, before taking a sip. Glynda nodded, then said "Agreed..."

... As J... God dammit, Dylan and Penny walked down the corridors of Beacon, the Spartan took in the surroundings. The arches in the hallway, the wide corridors, the massive windows, the blue carpets and the furniture placed neatly around the place gave off an air of freedom. The place was not cramped, it was not messy, it was just right. Then again, that also meant no cover whatsoever in case of attack.

"So... You mentioned you had friends. They were in Beacon, correct?" He asked Penny, who smiled.

"Yes!" She stopped. "There are four girls in total, but the one I know best is Ruby. She's a cute girl, small, but smart and is the leader of their team. She has silver eyes and, well, an interesting color choice."

Chief had just noticed a small girl approaching from behind Penny, a smile on her face. She had a strange two-color palette, save for her skin and eyes. Red and black. Her hair was black at the top, turning from darker to lighter shades of red as it reached the tips. The hair was shorter than Penny's, reaching to chin-length. She was cute, small and had silver eyes...

"She wouldn't happen to be wearing what looks like a dress and a cape?" The Spartan asked as the girl stopped to listen and showed him to be quiet, whilst Cortana giggled in his helmet like a giddy schoolgirl again. Oh, this was precious to watch, even for a Spartan.

"Oh, yeah! Ruby's clothing... Err... She could use a bit of fashion advice. The colors are so bland and... Well, a two-color palette gives off a feeling of oddity. Thankfully, she has a team-mate that's better acquainted with clothing and style." Penny said bluntly, to which the Chief saw the girl gasp silently, covering her mouth. "She could help Ruby get better clothes, or at least a better color palette if Ruby asked nicely but-"

"NO! NO! NONONONO! AAAA-NOPE! I AM NOT GETTING FASHION ADVICE FROM _WEISS_!" Ruby called out from behind Penny. Cortana laughed aloud in John's helmet, whilst Penny turned about and gasped happily "RUBYYYYYY!" before pouncing onto Ruby and... Well, unsurprisingly, knocking the poor girl off her feet. Cortana's laughter kept intensifying... Enough so that John sighed, being basically forced to remove his helmet as not to endure the assault upon his advanced ears.

He picked Penny up, then helped Ruby as well and said "I presume you are miss Rose." His voice smooth. Ruby looked at him, a bit surprised, her face flushed, then nodded and said "Yeah. Hey there." as she dusted herself off. A skirt, thigh-highs and combat boots. All of the same color palette. Of course, she wouldn't change it, would she? The Spartan crossed his arms and watched as Penny apologized quickly.

"It's so good to see you, Ruby!" Penny then said with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Oh, okay." Ruby shrugged "Break's almost over, so I figured I should get here early, then Ozpin calls me and says I should get two new students to their dorms, so I was going to him. Who's the guy, though?" She then pointed at Chief.

"Ah, right! Ruby, this is Dylan Braun. Master Chief Petty Officer." Penny introduced the Chief. "Just call him Dylan. You don't mind, do you?"

"No." He shrugged. "So you are the one the Headmaster sent to take us to our dorm room?"

"Yea-wait..." Ruby paused, putting on a thinking face... Before she realized and her gasp nearly took the entire atmosphere in "OH MY GODS, YOU GUYS ARE THE NEW STUDENTS?!" she then said with a high level of excitement. Penny smiled widely, then nodded and said "Yes! Quite so, in fact! I and Dylan will be on the same team starting soon."

"Ooooh! That's so cool!" Ruby then said... And she finally acknowledged the Chief's armor, which she then jumped at the chance to look over, asking all sorts of questions rapid-fire "Ohmygod is this your armor!? What's it do?! Why's it look so cool!?" and that kind of excited kid in a candy shop questions. The Spartan stopped her before she went and touched something she shouldn't have, then said "Calm yourself down, miss Rose... Yes, this is my armor. It is also currently my only weapon, due to certain events."

Ruby gasped, then demanded "Wait, what?! You don't have weapons?!" in a high-pitched voice.

"Uh... No. Save for a pistol." He said, taking out his M6D Sidearm.

"Uhh..." Penny sighed.

"No way! I can't let that stand!" Ruby proclaimed, a look of determination on her face. "Dylan, you need to have a weapon!"

"Ruby, I got an idea!" Penny suggested, to which Ruby turned to her friend and said "Tell me, my ginger friend! What is it you've come up with!"

"How about you build Dylan's weapon?" Penny then offered, to which the Chief paused for a moment. Ruby looked to him, then asked "Would that be okay with you, Dylan?" to which the Spartan sighed. No choice. He simply nodded in agreement, to which Ruby's eyes widened. She grinned as she extended her hand to the Chief, who gripped and shook.

"So... What do you want it to be?" She asked.

"What?" The Spartan returned her question.

"I need a basic shape to start off with. So what do you want it to be?" Ruby then told him kindly. The Chief took a moment to ponder the question, before realizing the shape he wanted.

"You wouldn't happen to know how to build Railguns, would you? Or Coilguns?" He asked, to which Ruby smirked.

"Giving me a challenge, eh?" She smirked. "I can make a pretty basic Rail rifle. Single-shot, semi-automatic. What do you want it to be, melee-wise? If you're gonna be fighting Grimm." She then said. The Spartan once again pondered the weapon's type. He nodded once more, knowing full well what to take into combat, considering he had just spoken of the material known as Gravity Dust.

"I'd like for the barrel to fold into a handle. And for the stock to include Gravity Dust, to keep the recoil to the lowest possible and activate afterward. A sort of Gravity Bludgeon, if you'd like." The Chief explained, which lit Ruby's eyes up almost immediately. Those silver eyes shimmered as ideas flowed into her head and an unmistakably wide grin was now plastered.

"That is _sooooooo_ awesome! A Gravity Bludgeon that also works as a Rail rifle! You've given me some food for thought, Dylan! Heck, we can make some pretty interesting stuff together! When do you need it by?" The girl then asked jovially.

"He's gonna need it by Sunday. That's when the Exam is." Penny noted, which immediately put a damper on Ruby's bubbling personality. She froze up faster than a vehicle with its engine off in the middle of a blizzard. Well. Played. Penny. Cortana was laughing like a madwoman again. For a fact, the Chief had never heard Cortana actually laugh, but this was it. It was funny.

"God dammit, I love Penny..." Cortana noted, smiling.

"This a problem, miss Rose?" Chief ignored Cortana. Ruby rubbed the back of her neck.

"Nah... I think I Can do it. Just means sleepless nights!" She smiled awkwardly, rubbing her arm. "You'd best be ready to pay me back in cookies, though! C'mon, lemme get you to your dorms, guys."

As they walked, Chief just realized.

"Uh. Miss Rose, don't mind me asking, but what do you wield as a weapon? I wish to know who I handed the production of my new Huntsman's weapon to." He told her... Ruby's grin immediately returned. She nodded, then reached behind her cape and with a flashy spin and move, as well as several rose petals flying around her, made a weapon appear and enlarge itself. The Mechanical whir faded whilst the Chief stared on, slightly shocked at the size of the weapon as she brandished it. A massive high-caliber Sniper-Scythe with a 4x Scope and bolt-action, as well as a bolt locking mechanism.

"Holy..." Cortana murmured. "Well, I can say we're in good hands, weapon-wise." as the Chief looked over it. He nodded, rubbing his helmet's chin, then said "This is a master-crafted weapon, miss Rose. A high-impact, customizable, long-range Sniper Rifle that also doubles as a Scythe for close quarters. It's also probably severely hard to wield, but... You probably know more about it than I would at the start, anyways."

"Aww, thanks, Dylan!" Ruby smiled, planting the weapon into the ground "This is Crescent Rose. All hand-made, Ruby Rose patented weapon designed to kick the butt of even the worst Grimm out there! She's a beauty" She then continued, proudly gloating and pampering the weapon designed for badass murder. The Spartan hummed, then nodded in agreement. Ruby looked to him as she folded the weapon, then said "Also, Dylan. Mind calling me by my name?"

"Oh. Ruby." He nodded.

"Better." she smiled. "Thanks."

The walk to the Dormitories was rather uneventful, with Ruby and Penny exchanging small-talk and the occasional banter about developments in Vale. The Spartan, meanwhile, thought of what to talk to Cortana about as he hung further back. He spoke "Cortana, can you have a report of everything I have just spoken with Ozpin about? I understand basics, but the rest of it is a blur." to which Cortana hummed.

"I'm still piecing the Data together. Going from Dust up, I'll have a Report. Huntsmen, Huntresses, the Schools that train them, the Kingdoms and the Great War are still things I need to learn about myself. I'll give you detailed reports every day if I can, but right now... Right now, I'm trying to figure out how in God's Green Earth you lost about 75% of your age."

"... Tell me once you've gotten an idea about it, will you?" He asked calmly "I've been trying to figure that out since we got here, among other things."

"Aye aye, Chief." Cortana nodded. "Also... I performed a scan of your body. One of your Augmentations... Well, modifications, is failing. Before you start worrying yourself about it, it's the Thyroid Gland implant. This just means hormones will have their way around now, more so than before. Some behavioral changes may occur, but they will be slow and unnoticeable at first, as well as changes to your body... I hope I don't have to hold the Birds and the Bees talk, because that's not my domain." She then quipped, easing John's mind...

With calm, he said "Thank you for the warning, Cortana. I'll keep that in mind upon future interactions with anyone. Right now..." He let out a long, drawn-out Yawn that he felt he had been holding in for a while. "Right now... I am... Genuinely willing to fall asleep on the floor. This has been a long day. Way too damn long for my liking." He then yawned again.

"You've got such a cute yawn. And it's strange to see you actually sleepy for a change. Cute as well." Cortana chuckled. He hit his helmet again, shaking her in there. She sighed, then said "Right, right... Thank the maker you can't get brain damage from this. But it's still shaking your brain a bit. Try not to snap the Neural Link, will you?" She then warned, before going back into data processing mode. The Spartan's thoughts were now occupied with the new data. She then quipped "Just remember to at least take your helmet off and grab a pillow."

"I will, I will." John nodded.

"Or just completely remove the armor for a change." She then murmured. John hated that thought... He knew he was going to go to school, but for God's sake, he'd need to not wear his MJOLNIR armor in some of the most defenseless moments of his life. Well, he'd carry his handgun with him, hidden in his pocket or somewhere. The boy soon found out they'd already gotten to the floor they were gonna be staying at and... He paused.

The Hallways were beautifully decorated in red velvet, with amazing landscape paintings lining the walls. There were couches in cots, where students could sit and talk and the room doors were engraved birch wood. This place was pretty well-detailed, considering the fact that students were staying there. There were also light fixtures on the walls every 5 feet.

"Here it is!" Ruby said, opening the door, to reveal a large room, with four beds split evenly among the room, as well as four desks, four wardrobes, a bathroom, a kitchen that seemed fully stocked, book-shelves, a television set on a counter and... What even was this place, a Hotel of all things? The Spartan let Penny walk in first. He saw her bags already present next to her bed, the one across from him. There were also bags across from them, on the third bed near the window. Very strangely designed bags, with bright pink as the main color and patches of other colors, such as blue and green.

The Spartan sat down on his bed, then removed his helmet and placed it on the side. He rubbed his eyes. He felt a sudden drowsiness, a sudden desire for sleep. Something he hadn't felt since the first day in basic. He sighed deeply, then looked to Penny and Ruby, of which the latter said "Wait here, Dylan. We'll go get some food for you, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, Dylan, take a nap. You look worse than me without any sugar on a bad day." Ruby said, smiling. The Spartan looked into the reflective visor of his helmet at his youthful, but tired face. He had to agree, he was worse for wear. Save for the scars, the bags underneath his eyes were both unsightly and surprisingly there. He sighed deeply, then nodded and leaned back onto the bed, armor still on. The Spartan nigh immediately fell asleep, like a brick.

He sighed deeply... Something was holding him back... He couldn't move, turn or anything of the sort... When he tried to push whatever it was off, he felt something as heavy as a human. And soft. He sighed, then muttered "I swear... I cannot get any peace and quiet he-" He opened his eyes and froze. A young woman, with clothing similar to the bags next to the bed and with a pair of breasts of the abnormal size for a woman as petite as her stood there, on top of him, top hat tilted to the right of her head and a droopy miscolored rabbit's ear on the other. A wide grin on her face and wide, lilac two-iris eyes.

"..." The Chief simply stared in a deadpan.

"Oooh! You're awake! Sweet!" She said rather joyfully. "Now, why the heck can't I Observe you?"

"..." The girl heard a gun cock and felt it pressed to her stomach. Her grin vanished, being suddenly replaced by fear, before the Spartan said "Get. The hell. Off of me." in as low a voice as possible. She chuckled, grin returning as she stared quite intently at the Chief. The lights flicked on and he looked to see. Oh. Hi, Penny... Hi, Ruby... He heard the little ginger gasp... And suddenly heard a thundering "GET OFF OF HIM!"

Chief could swear that was Kelly doing that flying tackle that knocked the girl off of him. It was on point, fast and perfectly executed. He stood up straight, then aimed his pistol at the pink-wearing girl and scowled. She rubbed the back of her head nad said "Owowowow! Jeez, I was just kidding, okay?!" and then she noticed Chief's gun "WOW, WAIT!" She then barked, raising her hands "I'm your third teammate!"

John looked, dumbfound... And he could hear Cortana laughing again. This was all a comedy to her... They were going to have words, but for now, Chief lowered his pistol, holstered it to his hip, then picked the girl up by the back of her collar and said "Do not do that again... I could've blown your belly open. The M6D Magnum would've, anyways." to which the girl chuckled.

"Right, sorry!" She said, rubbing the back of her neck "Name's Evelyn Damerot! Nice to meet'cha both!"

John nodded, then looked to a scowling Penny... Moving her bed... The floor screeched as she pushed her bed right up and stuck next to his... Well, John now got a king-sized bed. Evelyn, meanwhile chuckled, then said "Oh my, oh my! Jealous! How cute!" before Penny returned "You will not get closer to Dylan than your own side of the room!" making the Chief sigh.

"Penny. I appreciate the defensiveness... But us and her will be teammates. We can at least trust each-other for now..." And he yawned. "We will set up ground rules tomorrow... For now, I need to eat and go to bed..."

"Right..." Ruby said, bringing in the tray of food and handing it to him. "I... Guess I'll go to my team's dorm! Later, guys... And... uhh... Bye!" She finished, vanishing in a trail of red petals... John sighed, then started taking apart his armor. He would have to remove it, not because he was uncomfortable with it(He had slept with it before) but because Penny may well have a problem with sleeping next to an armored titan, whose shields may flicker on by mistake. So, about 15 minutes later, left in nothing but his undersuit, the Spartan put himself to bed, which Penny and Evelyn soon followed(Evelyn, thankfully, in her own bed)

He hit the helmet where Cortana was laughing like a moron with his fist, shutting her up, but thankfully not denting the armor. The Spartan sighed deeply, letting himself drift off to his usually dreamless sleep, finally feeling a comfortable bed below him... How long had it been since he'd felt an actual bed, not just a military cot or anything of the sorts? Those memories were blurry... Oh, so long ago... Faded with everything else of his past life.

... This was going to be a long half-year...

* * *

 ** _AN:Alright! Big Chapter!_**

 ** _Now, some of you may be wondering why I gave John a backstory like that of Dylan Braun. Well, for one, I and a friend of mine came up with the idea over Discord. For John not to fully reveal information about the UNSC, info which he believes would compromise them. Cortana wanted to help in this endeavor by creating his false ID of Dylan Braun and creating the Kingdom of Wyvern for their gain. Nobody would question them and nobody'd go exploring into the area that it was supposedly in(The Dragon continent, to be exact)._**

 ** _Plus, I needed a reason for team JPDE to form in this story, without removing Jack from the equation. She's an important part of the story, but I've severely modified parts of the JPDE and RWBY stories and canon, but you'll see within the coming chapters how far I went with it._**

 ** _Otherwise, that should be it. See y'all later!_**


	3. The Ladies of Worlds

"Aww... You guys are no fun..." Evelyn sighed.

"That's what serious means, Evelyn." The Chief noted... He also noticed Penny staring rather intently at the girl. The Spartan and his two newly-found teammates sat at a table within the Cafeteria, a cathedral-like place, with large, open windows located between decorated pillars, with marble floors and black carpets, as well as a small store from where food or other food items could be bought with money... That the Chief currently lacked.

The Spartan looked over his plate, which was full of scrambled eggs and ham. He took a forkful of both and munched down on it. The taste didn't escape the chief, but he struggled not to make any noise. He stared at Evelyn afterward... And the Bunny gal sighed deeply, before nodding "Fiiiiine! I promise I won't use my Semblance on my teammates without permission."

"Good." Chief responded calmly, finishing his food.

" _Not a bad place to be around."_ Cortana chirped from his helmet as he slid it back on. " _Though, keep an eye on Evelyn. I have a feeling..."_ And the Spartan hummed in agreement. He stood up, taking his tray with him, before Evelyn and Penny followed. He set down the tray back near by the counter and started walking out of the mess hall. He looked to Penny as she took a stop to gaze at the Bullhead landing.

"I have to go get supplies for Ruby to build your weapon, Dylan." The girl stated. "And I did promise her I'd bring them in come today."

"Go right ahead, Penny. I will try and find the shooting range of this school. You'll find me there." The Spartan noted, readying his handgun. Penny smiled, then looked to Evelyn and that smile disappeared... The Spartan showed the girl to calm down, before nodding to her and the Atlesian-born Huntress in Training sighed, then gave a nod and turned toward the Bullhead landing.

The Spartan and pink-haired girl strolled around Beacon in silence. Evelyn seemed to have taken the lead, with John tailing behind her. He looked around the park and roads here in Beacon and saw signs, including that for a shooting range. The road Evelyn was taking now, leading to said shooting range. She grinned, waving him over and the two found themselves entering a large, concrete building. The walls were thick and soundproofed and there was a weapon display case on the right. For this place's security. Add to that, there were a few students and guards training with the weapons in the range, but most booths were free. And there was a guard in the entryway, but they seemed not to mind the Spartan and Huntress entering the place.

Walking into one of the booths, the Spartan drew his high-caliber pistol and cocked back the bolt, to find it loaded. and ready. Flicking the safety off, he took up a firing position and aimed the weapon, with Evelyn staring at him with a grin. The Pistol thundered, reverberating across the entire hall as the bullet slammed into the target, tearing a chunk of paper off... A sinking feeling overtook him. That someone he knew had just arrived... And he'd trust his gut feelings.

"John?" Cortana asked. "Your heart rate just jumped a bit... You okay?"

"Yes..." The Spartan said, focusing his attention to shooting. If anything new came up, John was certain the Headmaster would warn him...

* * *

 ** _Unknown Village, 300 Kilometers outside Vale, in the mountain ranges..._**

The square brimmed with life, not only from the villagers, but the Huntsmen present as security. The Gothic-style buildings of the village burned, or were damaged by the horde of Grimm that surged into the main plaza and wide roads. Lead flew from a squad of elite Hunters' weapons and smaller Grimm were taken out with ease. The Creep horde that rushed in, followed by Beowolves, Beo-Alphas and Ursa Minors was a worrying prospect, however.

Meanwhile, from the shadows, a pair of supersoldiers clad in titanic armors sat and watched the onslaught, having just arrived minutes ago by some Forerunner mishaps. Clad in an EVA suit, with half the helmet being occupied by the Visor, was a female Spartan bearing a shotgun and the title of the fastest of the Spartans. Beside her was a woman clad in an armor with multiple scopes, spectrometers and scouting equipment attached to the helmet, almost resembling spider's eyes. She had a high-caliber Sniper Rifle System, Anti-Materiel and Anti-Personnel, Model 99/99 Rifle, painted with yellow stripes.

Kelly-087 and Linda-058, sat together behind cover as they regarded the creatures charging the people holding the barricades. Linda hummed, racking the bolt of her rifle. She received a glance over from Kelly and nodded. She waved Kelly forward, then patted her rifle. The Scout Spartan nodded, racking her shotgun's pump. She stood up as Linda readied her rifle, shouldering and steadying it...

And then dashed forth. Her shotgun thundered and a Grimm Beowolf found himself suddenly thrown to the ground and blasted apart by the pellets of the Buckshot weapon. Kelly looked to the Huntsmen and Huntresses, armed with the strangest weapons she'd seen, only for them to look back at her, awed. Linda's sniper cracked the air and a bullet gutted a smaller Grimm about to pounce on Kelly.

The Sniper gave a nod to her scout teammate, which Kelly returned, before swiveling about and delivering a roundhouse to another Beowolf. She fired again, right through the creature's head, splattering the bone plate helmet it had, before raising the gun to greet a Creep. She shot it right in the mouth, knocking its vanishing corpse into its brothers.

She saw a huntsman with what looked like a pair of knives join her, then another with sharpened claw gauntlets. She gave nods to both of them, advancing slowly and emptying her magazine into the horde of Grimm while they cut them down with blades and Linda thinned out their numbers from afar. The crack-snap of the SRS was relaxing to Kelly. Enough so that, even as she cut her way through a dozen Grimm, she felt calm.

"We're getting through'em!" One of the Huntsmen spoke, jovial.

Kelly gave a nod, to herself and noone else, as she punched clean through one of the Creeps. She looked to Linda as the woman drew her twin SMGs and surged forth, firing the caseless AP ammo into the horde. The two Spartan girls went back to back as they reloaded, then emptied mag after mag until the numbers dwindled down to a few dozen creatures. And their ammo remained at half a mag for each gun.

"Well..." Kelly sighed "That was relaxing." She then spoke in a rather... Thin voice for her age. She lowered her shotgun, then looked to Linda and asked, a bit worried "Does my voice sound weird to you, Linda?"

"... Actually, it does." Linda spoke and heard her own voice changed. With a surprise, she spoke... "Mine to you?"

"Yup... What did we do?" The girl asked, raising her Shotgun.

"I'm more concerned over what we do now..." The Sniper returned, before looking toward the Huntsmen walking toward them, grins on their faces. Both girls turned to greet what looked like a young man with ashen black hair and deep azure blue eyes as he strode toward them. He had a thin rifle with two barrels and sword bayonets on each end and wore a jet-black uniform with emerald trimmings and a blue scarf around his neck.

Kelly raised her hand, showing that was far enough, before the man grinned and spoke "You two have no idea how much help you were. You just saved us a hell of a lot of trouble. Right now, our main issue is the Bandits trying to loot the town, but you two helped put a big enough dent in the Grimm horde that our automated defenses can deal with'em. Thanks for that."

"No problem." Kelly gave a nod, before asking "You got a name?"

"Call me Cobalt, for short... Also, nice armors." The kid smirked, before crossing his arms "You two wanna back us up while we deal with the Bandits?" and he saw the two pause to think. They looked to each-other, before turning to him and nodded. Kelly checked her ammunition, then sighed and shook his head toward Linda. The girl looked over her sniper and SMG ammo too, before shrugging.

"What's the matter? Out of ammo?" Cobalt asked. "That's fine. We got spare swords, since we're going in close and hard on the Bandits. Can't risk'em shooting at us." before he grabbed two Gladius-looking blades and tossed them over to the girls. They caught them mid-air and Kelly spun hers around, feeling the weight. It was a good weapon... Linda stowed it, then grabbed her sniper and looked to Kelly, showing she still had 3 mags by raising 3 fingers. Kelly nodded, then readied her sword and grabbed her M6 Magnum.

Cobalt grinned, then showed the girls to follow. They dashed toward the town Plaza, where they came upon a black-haired woman, clad in scarlet samurai gear and with a large nodachi-type sword. She stared at them from behind a bright-white mask. She was surrounded by people clad in makeshift clothing and carrying makeshift weapons Linda knelt, raised her sniper, scoped their leader in and fired... The Nodachi sliced through the air, cutting the high-caliber bullet in half. Kelly grinned as she looked to Linda, giving a nod to her Spartan friend... Before the Spartan Scout readied her blade.

Linda's sniper shot went off like a starting gun... One that actually killed a Bandit. Kelly surged forth, almost matching the bullet in speed as she thrust her short-sword toward the target. Said target managed to parry the strike, but Kelly was quick to send forth a drop-kick. Two metal boots made contact with the woman's chest, sending her flying into a wall, while Kelly got to her feet, stabbed a bandit in the mouth and shot another in the head.

She saw one rushing her. Moron... His brain splattered across the floor and onto one of his mates when Linda snapped off a round... And a pair of rounds from the linked rifle/staff/spear combo of Cobalt sounded off. He surged forth, stabbing into one of the Bandits, then stabbing one and slicing the other across the chest. He spun the weapons, simultaneously pressing the triggers. Two bullets left on opposite sides and a pair of Bandits died...

Kelly took time to parry a strike from the woman clad in scarlet, before swiveling about and raising her pistol. The woman used her free hand to stop the Spartan's gun from hitting target. A round tore through the woman's hair and the two kicked away from each-other, before both rushed again, their blades sparking and colliding, Kelly's gun thundering and a bullet from Linda every so often being cut in half.

Kelly found an opening. Delivering a punch with the hand she had the pistol in and shooting at the same time sent the woman before her reeling, but no blood spilled. It still gave Kelly enough of a headstart on the woman to start kicking her ass. Sword strike after sword strike cut through the scarlet-clad woman's defenses, pinging off armor or her sword.

Samurai Chick kicked Kelly's hand aside just as she was about to slice at her stomach, then prepared to slice her in half, only to find an energy shield flaring and a gauntlet clanking as Kelly raised her arm to stop the strike. She grinned behind her helmet, while the woman gasped. Kelly sent her flying with another kick, before raising her handgun and firing her mag into her... The Spartan froze as she saw the woman slice mid-air to create a portal, that vanished the moment she entered through it.

The Spartan lowered her handgun, then rubbed the back of her neck as she stowed the pistol and set the rifle back into the stone paved floor below. She looked to Linda as the woman joined her, then received a shrug. This place was an oddity and a half, but at least everything that was enemy to them was dead... Kelly looked to Linda once more, then tapped the left side of her helmet. Communication device. Use it and attempt to call allied or any kind of evac forces. Linda nodded, then looked about at the Huntsmen and Huntresses moving about...

Kelly cued her Microphone, then spoke "To any UNSC, or allied personnel currently within range of this transmission, this is Petty Officer, Second Class, Sierra-087. I have Sierra-058 with me and we seem to be stranded in the wilderness. Do you copy, over? We have Civilians and local militia of an unknown town that have come under attack by what is presumed to be insurgent forces and the strangest wildlife I've ever seen. We require immediate evacuation. Repeat, we require immediate evacuation." And she set the message to play on loop...

"Guess we're gonna have to walk, for now." Kelly noted, before turning to Cobalt and asking "Considering your village got hammered pretty bad, we have to suppose you'll be going with us. What's the nearest urban settlement from here?"

"Yeah... Defenses were wrecked, sadly enough. Also, that'd be Vale City. About 300 Klicks west... Gonna be a good three days and a half of strolling through mountainside, woods and Grimm-infested areas, though. And that's if we don't take any rest breaks." The man hummed, stowing his strange weapon on his back. "You girls up for walking that long a road?"

"If push comes to shove." Kelly shrugged. "I and Linda will be providing cover for you guys, so you can rest... We don't really do sleep." and she felt Linda elbow her in the arm. She chuckled, then said "Okay, we do sleep, but when there's nothing important to do. Keeping watch is important... Ain't that right, Lin?" She then quipped, looking to her friend... The Sniper planted a palm on her faceplate, then sighed and nodded. The two scanned the broken-down, destroyed and damaged buildings and defenses of the village and felt a pang of guilt for not intervening earlier.

Cobalt grinned, then gave a nod "Sweet. Thanks for that... Trust me, the people of this village will be really thankful for that. I'll go talk to the Mayor about relocation. You girls grab whatever ranged weapons you can and tell us when you're ready. G'day." He then finished, before leaving for the Town Hall. Kelly and Linda once again gazed upon each-other and Kelly shrugged, before showing Linda to follow her... Letting out a deep sigh as she joined her compatriot, Linda could only think two things:What fresh hell had they landed into and what the hell happened to their damn voices?!


	4. Situation Derailed

**_The Next Day... Beacon Amphitheater._**

Chief trained on a pair of dummies in hand-to-hand, all whilst Evelyn and Penny seemed to be watching. His quick movements, jabs and punches were hard to follow for all but Penny, apparently. John's movements were as fluid and calm as Cortana remembered. He didn't even break a sweat during the mock fight, despite his attacks apparently denting the mannequins' foam and inner metallic structure.

"Jeez." Evelyn hummed to Penny "I wouldn't wanna be whoever had to fight Dylan."

"Agreed." Penny nodded as the calculations for the speed of his attacks ran through her mind. She scratched her chin in confusion... This was faster than any human could move even with enhancements from Aura. It was faster than she could move with her features. She regarded the Spartan with awe as he kept up the physical assault... And gasped as she saw one of his punches hit with such strength it punched a hole clean through the foam and sent the base of the Mannequin skidding back a good few feet.

"Wow! Quite the punch, Dylan!" Evelyn cheered. "Nice!"

"Well done!" Penny also cheered, smiling. Yes, there was something wrong... She scanned for Auric signatures and found nothing, either because of the armor, or because Dylan didn't have any sort of Aura. She and Evelyn walked toward him as he stretched a bit. The Atlesian ginger took a moment and looked over Dylan's armor, trying to find anything telltale of where he came from. Whatever was was scratched clean off... Or burned... What had he been fighting, god only knew. But she had to ask "Uh... Dylan? Do you have an Aura?"

"No." He answered calmly, looking at her...

"Waitwut? How!?" Evelyn snapped, staring at the Spartan with shock. The boy had to tune his helmet's audio-receptors after that scream as Evelyn got up in his face and demanded angrily "How the hell don't you have Aura!? HOW DID YOU DO THAT TO THE MANNEQUIN THEN?!" before the Chief pushed her down... She was staring up at him, pouting and with her hands on her hips... And a few seconds before, she was standing on the tip of her toes.

"I believe Ozpin told you about me and my kingdom?" He asked the girl, now listening to Cortana. A nod was Evelyn's answer, though she was still pouting... The Spartan crossed his arms and said "Our people did not use Aura. Not all of us. My Platoon was a Special Forces unit made for certain tasks not requiring Aura and thus, our Armor, the MJOLNIR set, provided enhancements to speed, mobility and strength."

"Oh...?" Evelyn raised a brow. "That... Explains it. So they're like Exo suits?"

"Something akin to it." Chief nodded, lowering his arms. "Do I require Aura?"

"I mean, if you wanna use your weapon, Dust and anything else properly, yup. Surprised your Armor isn't A" Evelyn shrugged... The Spartan sighed, then gave a nod and looked to them, as if asking... How to activate it? That was Penny's unspoken cue to step up to him and point at his helmet. John understood what he needed to do to be able to fully operate in Beacon. Undoing the seals and removing the helmet, he took pause as the girl placed a hand on his cheek, then one on his chest, where his heart was, and spoke...

 _For it is in passing that we achieve immortality._

 _Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all._

 _Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee._

As she finished the chant, a wave of emerald light enveloped Chief. He felt warmth, a strength he didn't know he had, travel through his entire body, going into corners and areas he didn't know were present in his body. His Armor shined too as the plating, with the hardlight shield currently deactivated, was enveloped. Penny smiled, stepping back as her own shining Aura toned down and the Spartan looked at his hands as the emerald light faded into nothingness... He felt his muscles overactive, his body seemed to be... Regenerating even faster than before.

He looked to Penny as she asked "How do you feel...?" before he set his helmet on his head. He moved his shoulders and arms, then sighed and nodded.

"I feel... Stronger." He then answered. "Aura is quite a boost, isn't it?"

"It helps heal wounds, increases strength and serves as a protective barrier, so yeah. Quite a versatile thing." Evelyn grinned as she enumerated the tools of Aura "Plus, it can help you further boost your weapon's durability and allow you to use Dust to its full potential." She then noted. The Spartan hummed, then tilted his head forward. As the trio began walking out toward the exit, Chief stood behind the two and then heard Cortana...

"Chief, I've... Pinged an SOS and stopped it from winding up in the CCTS Network's files. It's faint, but it's bearing UNSC IFFs... And you wouldn't believe who's." Cortana spoke with warmth and joy in her voice. The Spartan saw the IFF tags flash onto his Heads-Up Display... **_SIERRA-087... SIERRA-058_**... Kelly, Linda... They're here! He felt his heart once again stop for a moment. A slight tilt of his helmet once again gave Cortana the permission she was waiting for. Calmly, she said "I'll start the triangulation procedures. We'll find them in no-time, John."

"Thanks..." The Chief whispered, before stopping as he heard thundering footsteps rushing behind them. And then Ruby's voice cry out a tired "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT!" as she scurried toward them, a large, reinforced suitcase holding what John supposed would be his weapon. Stopping in front of them, shoulders sagged and chest heaving as she panted, the woman shoved the case into his hands. The Spartan took it calmly, holding it by the handle as he watched Ruby trying to regain her composure. The Spartan wanted to speak, but Ruby raised her right index finger, making the Spartan wait...

Through the panting, Ruby choked out a tired "Never... Again..."

"... Uhm... Sorry?" The Spartan asked. Ruby perked up, beet red and pouting, then called out "NEVER AGAIN! I SPENT THE ENTIRE NIGHT BUILDING THIS BAD GIRL! SO MANY IDEAS CAME TO ME, I COULDN'T STOP! AND I DIDN'T EVEN SHOWER OR EAT!" before stopping again and panting. "... I did actually take a nap... But it was short! AND THANKS TO MY SISTER!"

"You overworked yourself to have this finished by today?" Chief asked, surprised. Ruby nodded, dusting herself off and arranging her otherwise messy clothing. She also had bags under her eyes. But she then gave a smile and said "Yeah... What're friends for if not to make sure their friends have their weapon in time..." happily. A complete 180 from what the Chief just saw the girl can spit out... He sighed deeply, then nodded, before setting the case down on the floor, kneeling and propping open the lid... To reveal a modular weapon, with several attachments off to the right side of the box and three magazines of 5,56 Caseless Magnetic Rounds, that also had small bits of dust embedded into their cores. The weapon itself was big, camo-green to match John's armor and with the coiled barrel representing only a third of the weapon, the rest being the Bullpup reloading mechanism. He also saw an Ammo Counter on the side and a scope. The stock was metallic, with a lilac-shining tiny canister whose cap was off, attached to the top. The gravity dust recoil bump stock. He put the cap on... Then saw ports on the bottom of the weapon's stock. The barrel, despite having the coils, was thin... And the coiled portions seemed to be the handle for the Bludgeon. Attached to the center of the weapon was also a wheel to set the Power output of the coils... Huh.

He shouldered the weapon, looked down the scope and saw it was a 2x Zoom. Basically an ACOG scope. The weapon also had a button for the safety near the trigger guard and one on the Trigger guard... Pressing said button, John saw the weapon's barrel retract, the coils joining together and the stock expanding, only for multiple protrusions to emerge from the stock. The trigger guard collapsed and the Magazine folded inside, to let the bludgeon take shape. He spun the weapon in his hand, before slamming it into his open left palm.

"Weight's good... It's heavy enough to cause damage and to keep the recoil down." The Spartan noted, seeing Ruby's smile urging him to continue complimenting the weapon. He sighed, giving in and continuing "The barrel is aligned directly with the sight, no adjustment needed. And the bump stock works if there's any recoil, I presume. I'll need to try it out at the shooting range... Say, Ruby, how about you join us for that?"

She jumped for joy, then spoke "I thought you'd never ask!" joyously. She surged forth using her powers, grabbing the Chief by the hand and... Stopping mid-petal flight with a squeak "WHA-" before faceplanting into the floor. The Spartan felt the tug, but there wasn't enough force to displace the Soldier... He lifted her onto her feet and helped her dust herself off, before switching the new weapon back to its rifle mode and stowing it on his back.

"Hehehe... That was awkward... C'mon!" Ruby blushed and smiled, patting her skirt down. She joined Evelyn and Penny at the front, then started talking as they moved toward the Shooting Range. Chief hummed and Cortana chimed in with a ping, before speaking _"Sent info to Ozpin. Didn't include the bit about the UNSC from the radio signal."_ And John continued to walk. Cortana knew very well what to do.

As they reached the Shooting Range, the Spartan withdrew the rifle from his back, shouldered it and walked toward one of the Booths. Ruby's smile was contagious to the other two girls present... The Spartan gazed back toward them, then heard Cortana speak again, with a snarky tone " _Don't disappoint the girls now, John... They came all the way here to see you shoot."_

The Spartan hummed, before taking a stable position, shouldering the rail rifle and setting the Safety to off... His HUD updated with the Scope visuals and he locked onto the center of a target. His finger wrapped around the trigger, aim steadying, breath calming... And he set the weapon between low and mid power. Breathe in... Breathe out... Then squeeze... The weapon thundered and the round quite literally screamed out of the weapon. The Mach-speed round flew across the room in milliseconds, slamming into the target, tearing it and drilling deep into the concrete wall, before embedding itself...

The Spartan lowered the weapon, flicking the safety back on... And Ruby burst into cheer "YEAAAH! I DID IT!" and hugging Penny. Penny smiled and hugged back... Tightly enough to take Ruby's breath away as she said "Well done, Ruby! That is amazing!" whilst the girl was groaning and choking. Evelyn chuckled, then let her grin on as she watched the Spartan trying to process the power of the weapon. He then shouldered it again and fired two more shots... The entire building shook and the wall ahead cracked. For not even half-power, this weapon had quite the punch... And his armor helped with whatever kick.

" _That had to be at least several Megajoules of energy... Contained in a single shot."_ Cortana noted, awed as well by the strength of the weapon. " _Okay, Ruby is gonna be part of a good weapons development team."_ She then spoke. The Spartan hummed in agreement as he nodded to Ruby. The girl, despite being choked by Penny, gave a thumbs up, before being dropped and slamming into the ground. He walked toward Ruby and helped her up, stowing the weapon on his back.

"It's a fine weapon. Thank you, Ruby." The boy noted, taking his helmet off and sliding it under his arm. Ruby's smile reemerged and she bowed, before looking to the girls. Penny and Evelyn both gave warm, welcoming nods, before Evelyn checked her pocket watch and looked out the window. She sighed, then said "It's almost curfew. And we've got the Entrance Exam tomorrow and I have to go talk to Oz. Try to pry info about our third teammate out of him."

"I'll be there to cheer you guys on! And after the Exam, we're gonna have to test out a few functions we couldn't quite get to for your weapon, Dylan... But before you guys go, thought of a name?" to which the Chief took a moment. Guess any and all weapons needed a name? Or was that optional... He shrugged, then answered "No. Should I do that?"

"Naming a weapon is just tradition around Beacon." Ruby shrugged. "Plus, I'd like to see what you come up with."

... He thought for a moment over names he could use for the weapon. Considering the alignment of them and their weapons and armor to mythos, the Spartan sighed, then shrugged. He didn't know many myths and stories from Ancient Times. Ruby grinned, then asked "Mind if I name it for ya?" to which she saw Chief shake his head. The girl, with a proud grin, said "How about Caliburn? Sounds cool and it's easy to remember. Plus, it's kind of a symbol of leadership."

"Then that's what it'll be called. Thank you again, Ruby... What do I owe you?" Chief gave a nod.

"Well, aside from some cookies, nothing really." The redhead gave a smile. "I did this because you're a friend, like I said, Dylan. Friends help each-other. So keep it nice and clean and use it. Hope it's gonna do ya good, because it was a heck of a lot of fun to design on my part!" before she sighed deeply, smile withstanding "Oh, I could use a nap now..."

"You mentioned your sister made you sleep... Considering how focused you probably were on this, how did that work?" Chief asked and Ruby cringed, before sighing, hands and head slumped, and answering "She used common sense on me..." to which the three others... Four, if you counted Cortana, raised their brows. She looked at the confused trio... Then sighed and started explaining. "Y'see, I was working on the weapon..."

 ** _-FLASHBACK:TEAM RWBY'S DORM-_**

Youthful, cheerful and hard-working Ruby Rose had gotten to work on her new friend's weapon almost six hours ago... Physical labor-wise. She'd been up since yesterday designing the darn thing and, by goodness, she wanted to take a nap... But she had to work! It was only a day or so until Dylan would need the weapon and no matter how tempting her nice little bunk was, she had to do her job. So, she went on to welding the weapon with a micro-tool Penny had bought for her as per request, putting together the main body of the weapon...

When the fiend walked in. A young, blonde woman with messy hair, lilac eyes and a wide grin stretched her tired muscles after much of her time had been spent in Beacon's newly-built Gym. She wore a pair of black fingerless gloves, on her wrist were a pair of bracelets painted yellow and she wore an orange scarf wrapped around her neck, a creme crop-top jean jacket, under which resided a golden brassiere without straps as her top, with her toned belly in full view and a pair of black shorts with a strange cape/belt made of the same material as her jacket. She also had a pair of boots similar in color and material to two other aforementioned pieces, as well as orange socks and a lilac 'scarflet' wrapped around her right leg.

"Yo, Rubes! Still working on that thing?" She greeted as she walked toward her, grabbing a towel from her bed mid-stride. Ruby turned toward her sister slowly, revealing the tired face of the young huntress, black bags under her eyes and hair soggy. The girl's stomach grumbled, but she still spoke weakly "Hey, sis... Yep... Gotta get this done at least by tomorrow."

"Jeez, sis..." Yang rubbed the back of her neck "Did you get _any_ sleep since this project started?"

"No... Gotta finish it." Ruby murmured, before turning back to the weapon and working on it. Yang frowned, then asked "Also... Did you shower or eat anything?" And all she received was a shake of the head, with Ruby still turned away from her. Yang planted a palm on her face, then said "Sis, do yourself and whoever you're building this for a favor and go take some time to rest..."

"No... I can do this." Ruby murmured... Before she felt Yang pick her up by the waist and throw her over her shoulder. Weakly protesting "Let me go, Yang! C'mon! I can do this! Just need a bit more time!" before she was thrown onto her bunk. Yang crossed her arms to her well-developed chest, then raised a brow at her sister. Ruby rolled her eyes...

"Ruby, c'mon. If you want to finish this thing in one piece, be able to deliver it to this guy and be happy to see it undergoing trial and receiving praise, you gotta get some sleep. If you didn't, I dread this doohickey may blow up in the guy's face and then I'd have two people to worry about. You, with your lack of sleep, food and water and that guy, with... Probably a really painful wound." Yang noted.

"Uuuugh! Fine! I'll take a nap... But..." She yawned as she lay her head on her pillow "Wake me up in... 'Bout an hour or two... Gotta finish it." to which Yang grinned and gave a thumbs up. The blonde brawler then spoke calmly "I'll get you some milk and cookies meanwhile, so you have strength to finish this... I'll wake you in an hour for that. Sleep tight, sis!"

And with that, she left.

 ** _-FLASHBACK END-_**

Ouuu-kay... John understood what Ruby meant by 'Common Sense' now. Penny and Evelyn were giggling in a corner and Ruby seemed to be a bit tired... The Spartan sighed as he heard Cortana laughing too, once again, before looking to Ruby and saying "Well, thanks for working on it. I guess a few Cookies is the least I can do. You go ahead and rest. We'll talk more after the Entrance Exam." and then he turned to Evelyn "Go talk to Ozpin. See what you can find out."

"Aye aye." Evelyn gave a mock salute... And the group dispersed, with Penny escorting Dylan over yonder to the dorms.


	5. Team JPDE

**_Beacon Cliff, day of the Entrance Exam_**

The Spartan reloaded his magnetic weapon's magazines with slugs Ruby had provided. He, Penny and a seemingly tired-out Evelyn were sitting atop Beacon Cliff, awaiting their transport to the massive sea of foliage below, that the Spartan heard from Ozpin was called the Emerald Forest. He arranged his helmet, then his gear and stowed the magazines in the pouches on his belt.

Ozpin walked up to and in front of them, then said "Welcome to the Initiation, Students. Whilst you're rather late arrivals into the year, I can honestly say I have no doubt that you will be able to catch up with everyone. But right now, this Exam is meant to check your ability to work together as a team. Come today, you will be assigned your partner... Whoever you first make eye contact with, will be said partner."

"WHAT?!" Evelyn and Penny snapped. Cortana giggled. The Chief seemed unimpressed...

Ozpin sighed, then arranged his glasses and continued "Alas. Your objective here will be slightly different to what the students that came this year. Your objective is not to recover a certain object. It is to hunt a Grimm that is not native to the Emerald Forest. You will find your partner, meet up with the rest of your team and eliminate this threat as you see fit. I will be watching from here. So, if there are no questions, we may proceed with the l-"

"Waaaaaaaait!" Ruby called out as she ran uphill. The Spartan and his teammates swiveled about to see her. She dashed toward them utilizing her semblance, that which left a trail of rose petals in the way. She reemerged from the rose storm in front of Ozpin, skidding to a halt and saluting with a healthy smile "Ruby Rose, fellow observer, reporting! Mind if I hang around, headmaster?"

Ozpin gave a smile, then said "I don't mind, miss Rose. Since Glynda is out shopping for supplies, I could use someone to keep me company."

"Sweet." Ruby smirked, then turned to the Spartan and his teammates and said "Kick some butt out there, guys!" cheerfully. Evelyn and Penny nodded, with the former giving a mock salute, while Chief also gave a quick nod, before looking to the cliff edge. Ruby chuckled, then asked "Do they know how they'll get there?" to which Ozpin shook his head, grinning.

"Now, since there seem to not be any questions, we may begin." The Headmaster then stated... And the jump pads underneath all three students snapped open, launching the Spartan at an angle, similar to his teammates. Ruby chuckled, whilst Ozpin regarded the Spartan's trajectory with interest. Ruby looked on and took a pause, before asking "Uhh, Headmaster? Did they sign the waivers that permitted this?" And she saw Ozpin's eyes widen...

As John/Dylan flew through the air, he had brought himself into a straight position, to reduce the already heavy drag from his armor...

"This is the second time we're falling." Cortana observed "Be ready to punch the thrusters when I tell you, Chief." And she received a hum of agreement from John. He pushed himself and spun to get his feet ahead of him, pulling his knees back into his chest and readying the thruster pack embedded within the Armor. A height counter appeared on the right of his helmet, showing the fast descent and how close he was before he was supposed to kick the Thrusters into gear to slow himself down... A massive tree appeared in front of him.

"... Now." Cortana noted. The Thrusters powered and Chief felt the slight deceleration as his bones rattled. He cocked his feet back, then as the Thrusters shut off, pushed his feet into the tree, before slamming his hands into the bark to grab on. Slowing down as he slid to the ground, the Spartan jumped off the trunk, grabbed his rifle from his back and took a knee, scanning his surroundings and checking his Motion Tracker.

"Okay, John, it's high-time I briefed you on what I decoded so far about the thing's we're gonna be facing during our time in Beacon:The Grimm. They're described as creatures of shadow, with scarlet eyes, white bone armor and spikes, resembling, to an extent, animals of all shapes and sizes, just mutated. And they're quite deadly, too, so keep your eyes open... I've got pictures of several, but they'll be easy enough to recognize here." Cortana warned. "Also, motion tracker pinged an Unidentified, 10 o'clock... Sensors show it's human."

The Spartan snapped his rifle in the direction as he heard the footsteps. A young, blonde-haired woman with deep blue eyes stepped into view from behind the bushes, hands raised. She wore dark-blue jeans and a jacket of the same material, a black tank top underneath and black gloves, as well as a pair of combat boots of same color. On her back was a pack that probably held her weapon.

"Hello there." She greeted, grinning, despite her hands being raised. "Guess you're one of my team-mates, then?"

John lowered his rifle, then nodded and said "I'm Dylan... What's your name?" to which the girl, grin withstanding, said "I'm Jacqueline B. Ivory. Call me Jack, though." and walked toward the Chief, hands now moving beside her body, rather than up over her head. She scrutinized him, from head to toe, then nodded and bumped his shoulder with her fist.

"So, Dylan, can your armor help with flight?" She asked "Because I'm pretty sure I saw you flying above me." to which the Spartan shook his head. The girl raised a brow, then asked "How'd ya fly halfway to heaven, then? Because something must've happened to send you flying like that, especially in what I'll bet is some tonnes of plating and armor."

"Professor Ozpin found it fun to launch the rest of us using jump pads." Chief noted calmly. Eyes wide, Jack crossed her arms and chuckled.

"Yeah, that about seems like the old man... Meanwhile, I walked into the Emerald Forest." She said, patting him on the shoulder. "What do we gotta do here?" the girl then asked. The Spartan showed her to halt as his Motion Tracker showed red... Hostile contacts... And he heard a low growl coming from among the trees. Shouldering his rifle, he looked down the scope, to gaze upon shadowy, wolf-like figures standing in the bushes... Black, shadowy manes... With white bone plating and a taste for human flesh. The Spartan snapped off the first shot of the engagement... The rail rifle practically disintegrated the first Grimm it came into contact with, thundering loudly around him.

He watched as a pack of wolf-like humanoid Grimm appeared, growling and snarling, black, murky saliva dripping to the ground, their teeth filled with flesh, bloody. He hoped his two companions made it alive... But for now, he had to worry about himself and Jack. He felt the girl go back-to-back with him. She grinned and Chief heard a weapon extend, before she said "First time?"

"No..." John lied, staring at the creatures... By what means were they different from other enemies he faced? He'd killed anything that stood in his way. Same would occur here. The Spartan set his weapon to low power as not to waste electrical energy, then stabilized himself to fire the next shot well, a finger hanging below the button to transform the weapon into a bludgeon.

"Good... Let's fuck'em up, then. You got half, I got half." The girl grinned and bumped him on the back of his shoulder. The Spartan nodded, then counted down... 3... 2... 1... His rifle roared again and a round pinned a Grimm to a wall, tearing it in half. The wolf-like creatures' brothers surged forth toward the Chief, but he was quick on the draw, switching to the bludgeon form and throwing the first strike as he activated the Gravity Dust crystal inside... With a strike equaling 10 pounds of Force on a surface of 1mm, the Grimm before him vaporized and instantly turned into black and white giblets from a direct hit to its lower jaw.

Somewhere, right now, a little Rose cheered...

But the Chief soon brought his weapon down with an actual grin on his face upon another Beowolf, pummeling the creature into the ground and cracking the dirt as the Grav-Dust crystal send ripples into the ground. He grabbed a third Beowolf by the throat with his hand, before tossing it toward its brothers and jumping, only to bring down the Gravity Bludgeon down onto the creatures. A direct strike of focused energy broke all 3 creatures in quite a brutal manner, impaling the two below on the spikes of the third. He then turned around and struck a Beowolf across the face, bone plate breaking and black mist scattering into the air as the creature's corpse spun and landed in the midst of its brothers.

He looked behind Jack as she focused her weapon, what appeared to be a hand-mounted Exo-skeleton with a Minigun and powered fist, onto the enemy, noticing a pair of Grimm running toward her. He switched to Rifle mode and snapped off a shot at low power, bursting through them and splitting their corpses in half. The Spartan then switched back to the bludgeon mode, kicked a Grimm in the chest, knocking it to the floor and hammering it once with the bludgeon. A Grimm head caved into the body as John slammed it right over the snout, sending the corpse once again flying. He drew his Magnum and shot, the pistol thundering as a five Grimm tried to rush him.

Each shot was a headshot that killed or maimed the Grimm enough for the Chief to finish them off with his Bludgeon. Another attack from the bludgeon pinned a Grimm to a tree and the Spartan kicked its ribcage, or whatever stood for it, in, before sliding under a Grimm and hitting it from behind with the powered weapon, breaking its entire body in two in a single swipe. He switched the weapon back to rifle form, shouldered it and shot another five rounds into a squadron of Grimm heading for him and Jack...

And the clearing wound up with a tonne of dissolving corpses... The sound of combat died down, then faded into nothing as the Spartan stood up. He reloaded the weapon, then slid it on his back and looked to Jack, who was grinning. The girl spoke proudly "I'll be damned, man. That was awesome. Thanks for the cover back there." before stretching as her weapon stowed itself on her back.

The Spartan once again received a pair of pings... And found it to be friendlies on his MT. He turned around as he heard Evelyn's voice call out "YYYYYYOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" angrily. The girl stomped toward Jack, whilst the blonde's eyes went wide with shock. "MURDERER!" Evelyn called out again... And the Chief took a moment to compose himself.

"... Carrots?!" Jack snapped "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"I'm your new teammate, apparently!" Evelyn growled.

"Oh, what?! Nonononono! That won't fly! I gotta have a talk with that grey-haired asshole!"

"Uhm... Everyone?" Penny started as she saw the two girls get closer and closer to each-other, growling.

"I'll go first! God damn it, Oz, there'll be words!" The Bunny growled.

"Uhm... What the hell is this about?" John asked, looking at the two.

"SHE TRIED TO GIVE ME FOOD POISONING!" Evelyn snapped... The Chief blinked.

"Uh... Guys?" Penny continued.

"I DIDN'T! NOT MY FAULT YOUR STOMACH COULDN'T HANDLE GOOD FOOD!" Jack bit back.

"... Food poisoning..." John noted as Cortana laughed once... The Spartan sighed, then pushed both girls away from each-other, before saying "We can have this talk when we're in Beacon instead of in the middle of a Grimm-filled forest. We're here to hunt for something big that got into this forest, so let's try to act as a team instead of bickering, yes?"

"... Oh, shit, he's right..." Jack gasped

"... He is." Penny noted as she walked toward them... And the ground below them rumbled. The trio of girls looked toward where the noise came from and Penny looked to John, then noted "You do know that Grimm are attracted by negative emotions, correct?" To which the Spartan, having just read that as Cortana put it on his HUD, gave a nod, readying his rifle...

"Oh, fuck, what did Oz pull out of his card of tricks now?" Evelyn murmured as the thundering got closer and the trees ahead were being felled... Only for a massive creature, probably 5 times John's size, to appear from behind the trees... It had a beak-like snout and three horns, one instead of a nose and stubbier than the other two on its strange bone crown with spikes. It stood on four legs, was well-armored across the top part of its body and the legs also had segmented armor. It also had a rounded, cannonball-like tail with spikes.

"Holy hell..." Evelyn froze, pure fear visible on her face. "T-That's a Prorsus... It's like one of the oldest Grimm on Remnant."

"Oh..." John murmured, lowering his rifle as he saw the creature's scarlet eyes stare at them, anger and hatred seeping through every pore of the creature... It breathed, black smoke leaving is scarlet-shining, tooth-riddled mouth. And the Spartan knew this thing as a Triceratops. A big damn dinosaur that was preserved as a fossil in most museums. Jesus Christ.

"Well... A Grimm Dinosaur... And one of the most armored Dinosaurs too... John, you'd best set Caliburn to High Power." Cortana noted "Or we may wind up hood ornaments for the damn thing." She then murmured... The Spartan set the weapon to high-power and snapped it toward the creature, before firing off a round... The round punched into the bone plate of the creature, embedding itself in there and sending a shock through the skull... But apparently only angering the Grimm Dino... As it prepared to charge, John looked to his teammates...

"GET MOVING!" He called out, before grabbing Evelyn, Penny and Jack and pushing them out of the way as the Grimm roared and began to charge toward them, shaking the ground with thundering speed. The Spartan and his teammates dodged, jumped over or slid under obstacles as they ran. He looked to Jack and everyone else, then said "It's belly has no armor! If we can annoy it enough to make it get on its back feet, I can punch shots into it and we can kill it! I'm gonna need you and Evelyn to distract it, Jack! Penny, with me!"

"Roger!" the trio answered promptly as they split into two pairs. Jack looked to Evelyn, who nodded.

"There's a clearing up ahead! May I recommend getting it there?" Penny spoke, to which John/Dylan agreed by tapping the left side of his helmet. Penny smiled as the group surged forward at top speed, with the massive fuck off Grimm dino chasing after the unfortunate Jack and Evelyn, with Jack keeping it focused on them by firing from her chaingun hand toward it.

As the creature threw headbutts left and right, breaking trees to clear its path, the massive clearing within the forest came into view... John and Penny ground to a halt next to the treeline and John drew his rifle, shouldering it. He watched as Jack and Evelyn split yet again, confusing the creature and giving John a clear shot at its back... He shot, but the round bounced off of its thick back hide, that John had hit at a poor angle. He surged forth into the clearing as the Grimm turned toward them, grabbing Penny and dragging her along as they joined their team-mates.

"Well, that one bounced!" Evelyn spoke worriedly "What now, Dylan?"

"I'm looking for weaknesses. Let's keep it busy until I can find one." The Spartan noted, readying his rifle. Cortana pinged his helmet and said " _John, I've done a structural analysis of the hull of that thing... The Segmented armor on its legs would be our best bet at immobilizing it. It's thin enough there... The rest of its body can be pierced from up-close or with a high-power shot, though what you hit on its head is mostly bone plate. I'll give you targets you can hit after you immobilize it, just do that first..."_

The Spartan nodded, then spoke "The legs! The armor's thinnest there and I don't see plating on the back, plus, they're articulated. We take down one leg, the others will follow."

"Good eye, D-Man!" Jack grinned, racking her weapon and readying the power fist. "And nice stratagem! Your call which leg we hit." She then nodded to the Spartan. He activated the powered weapon and aimed... But the creature started to charge. The four dodged, once again dividing themselves and the Chief made a quick hand motion to Jack, pointing at its right frontal leg. She gave a nod, raising the chaingun and opening up... The rounds grazed the creature's leg. It roared in pain, before turning toward the Spartan and the girl... Chief pushed Jack out of the way as the creature charged and struck him... The Spartan firmly planted his feet into the dirt, digging the armored boots deep into it. The creature stopped and Chief's shields flared. He felt his Aura kick in...

And his muscles tensed as he stopped the creature, as if he was a wall. Its forward plating cracked a bit across from where the impact point of the AP round hit. He punched it in the nose, breaking part of the plating and revealing black skin underneath. He watched as his teammates came in from behind, with Penny utilizing her swords to cut across the creature's knees in the armor-less back, Evelyn using a pair of mechanical Tonfa with blades to do the same to another leg and Jack pelting it with rounds. The creature groaned, confused, before the Spartan used his enhanced strength to send a thunderhammer punch clean into its beak, cracking it and making the creature whine in pain.

He then grabbed his weapon, shouldered it and knelt as it exposed its side and less armored belly and fired... A round punched through flesh and armor, splattering inky black across the grass. The creature screamed in pain as Evelyn, Penny and Jack joined the Chief next to a massive ancient ruin that was against their backs and Jack noted "Damn, that rail rifle of yours has a punch, D-Man."

"It owes its power to a common friend of mine, Evelyn's and Penny's. She built it." The Spartan gave credit where it's due. Ruby was a damn fine weaponsmith and what he'd asked her to make seemed nearly impossible once he thought about it now... But by God, he was thankful Ruby came through and made a 'very basic' rail rifle... Basic being a poor choice of wording. This girl could become a weapons engineer for the UNSC...

"Can't wait to meet her." Jack grinned "But let's take down big ugly boy here. Got a plan?"

"Focus fire center mass and keep away from its horns. Use the ruins in the glade to keep it off balance and give me a moment to see if I can make this thing fire off a charged shot." The Chief spoke, shouldering the rifle and kneeling. The girls nodded, then looked to each-other, grinned and surged forth. Their weapons thundered, Penny's blades struck armor and black flesh and Evelyn's tonfas cracked parts of the body armor...

Chief saw the creature stagger and lose plating with every hit it took. He shouldered the weapon and aimed at the top half of its body. He charged up the powered weapon, setting it to maximum output, before looking down the scope and watching as the Girls got out of the way with a wave of his hand. He grinned as Cortana spoke "You got him in sight, Chief... Shoot." And then squeezed the trigger... The high-powered shot shuddered the ground and punched clean through the thinned-out side armor of the creature, going through flesh and exiting through the other side. The creature staggered as plating broke off and another shot struck into what stood for its spinal armor... And then another drilled through the side of its jaw... And then another punched clean through the cranium...

The creature, almost dead, tried to stand up... But Chief knew better than to let it do that. He looked to Penny and Evelyn, then gave them a hand signal. And the two gave nods. Evelyn looked to Penny, then said "Pennsworth, give me a boost!" before charging toward the girl and jumping on a pair of rocks while Jack emptied her mag into the Grimm to keep it pinned. Chief reloaded his rifle and shot it in the tail, to keep it from hitting a running Jack and splitting it off. It started to dissipate long before Evelyn and Penny made contact... And Penny launched Evelyn toward the creature at high speed...

The bunny girl's tonfas locked together into a staff with blades that extended out of each end... And as she flew, she found the weak spot to kill it. Its neck... She grinned, then used her Aura and weapon to thrust herself toward the neck as it stood there, trying to get back up... And with a roaring battle cry, the girl sliced clean across its neck, cutting it off and landing on her feet... The creature began to dissipate into nothing as the sun began to set... And John stood up.

Evelyn looked at the vanishing corpse, sweat draping her from head to toe, then grinned and cheered "HECK YEAH! WE DID IT!" before the girls and John met up in the center. The trio hugged the Spartan suddenly and Evelyn called him out "Damn fine plan, Dylan! That was awesome!" to which John felt heat coming to his cheeks... Jack gave a salute from behind Penny and Evelyn and nodded.

"Not bad, Chief." She noted, with a grin as she crossed her arms. The Spartan raised a brow as he removed his helmet and clipped it to his belt and she whistled "Damn, you're cute." before bumping his shoulder with a fist "Don't mind me calling you Chief, do you? After all, Oz said that's your rank used to be in your old Navy." and the Spartan shrugged.

"You can." He noted, before watching Evelyn back off... And Penny still holding on. Jack and Evie chuckled. At least Jack was calling him something he was more used to, so that was a bonus. He watched as a drop ship approached with a smiling Ruby and a similarly-joyous Ozpin. He strode forward, then stopped in front of the four, with Penny leaving John/Dylan's side and smiling.

"Well done, all four of you." Ozpin nodded.

"THAT WAS SO AWESOME!" Ruby cheered, jumping on Penny and hugging her, before raising her hand toward the Chief for a high five... She picked up his hand after a few seconds, then high-fived him. The Spartan then looked to Ozpin, who nodded, then continued, walking forward to the ruin and asking the Spartan, calmly "Dylan, what do you see here?"

"Ruins, sir?" The Spartan answered, looking at them.

Ozpin nodded "Good... Do you know what they are?" He then asked, looking at a confused Chief and his four friends. Not waiting an answer on a rhetorical question, he said "The Emerald Forest is home to dozens of such ancient structures of a proto-civilization that emerged before Vale... And was subsequently felled by the Grimm. And other ruins of similar civilizations, with similar fates... Nothing remains of them, but these structures. And they fell because of internal strife and not the Grimm... Political issues and such is what led to them dying. Simply because of human error."

"Why?" Chief asked again.

"They tried to learn from their past mistakes... From their predecessors. They did, but in this world, ever-changing and ever-moving, learning from past mistakes is no longer enough. Where does that leave us?" Ozpin then asked, looking to the Spartan. John crossed his arms and started his thought process... It was an easy answer. Learning from the mistakes of your ancestors no longer helps you... So...

"You start to learn from current events. To adapt to the ever-changing climate by changing your skills, your defenses and, if need be, yourself. You adapt, or die." The Spartan noted. Ozpin gave a nod and a smile, before he himself continued "Yes. It is what you four did today... You proved your ability to work as a team despite being total strangers to some degree, save perhaps for miss Damerot and miss Ivory. You cooperated, adapted to a threat and eliminated it as a good team should..."

Ozpin started "Jacqueline B. Ivory..." And he saw the girl take a prideful pose, placing a hand against her hip and grinning. He continued "Penny Polendina..." And saw Penny give a nod and smile, hands interlaced and pressing against her emerald skirt. "Dylan Braun..." Ozpin noted, as the Spartan took a ramrod straight posture. And Ozpin finished off "And Evelyn Damerot..." And the bunny gal gave a mock salute, allowing Oz to finalize "You have surpassed all of my expectations for this team. From here on out, you will study at Beacon, to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, Paragons of virtue to rise and protect those who cannot protect themselves... And you shall be known as team Jade(JPDE)."

Ruby cheered "Nice work, guys! I'm so happy for you!" before she paused and realized "W-Wait, THERE'S NO A IN ANY OF THEIR INITIALS, HEADMASTER!" words to which, the entire team, save for John, laughed. The Spartan set his helmet on his head and hear Cortana giggling too. She spoke happily " _Well, Dylan... Looks like you have yourself a new little squad to nurse..."_

The Spartan actually gave a chuckle at that one... It was true, though. A new team, new challenges and...

SCHOOL LIFE! A new experience!


	6. Day 01:The Classes and The Rescue

**_SCHOOL TIME. DAY 01._**

Chief sighed, arranging something he never thought, nor wanted to wear. A school uniform... A white shirt, underneath a brown jacket, with a red tie around his neck and a pair of brown trousers and black dress shoes. Whilst not physically that different from UNSC Dress Uniforms, this felt... Odd. The Spartan was so used to wearing his UNSC Gear and was so proud of it that resigning it in the room for _this..._

It felt like _treason_ , to some degree...

He sighed, trying to ignore that nagging feeling in the back of his head that he was doing something wrong, before he looked over at the item laying next to him on the sink. A white smart device that acted as a multitude of things, ranging from a simple telephone to the key to their room. He picked it up, opened it and saw a dark-blue avatar's face flash on the screen. Cortana, now with slightly longer hair than before, gave a smile to the chief as she spoke through an earpiece "Looking dapper, John. The school uniform really does fit ya."

"Thanks." He sighed.

"Oh, what's with the long face? C'mon, it'll be fun! It's school! Your first time going to an actual, proper school! You should be excited to meet new people!" Cortana cheered him on through his earpiece, which he'd hidden very well. It was a small communication bead that all Spartans also hauled alongside their armor's comm devices, just in case. He gave a nod... To which Cortana sighed and rolled her eyes "Alright, listen, I've been triangulating Kelly and Linda's UNSC signal... And I'm almost done finding out where it is in relation to Beacon. Come after classes to me and I can get you a location."

"Thanks again." He noted, arranging his uniform.

"Right-o, John. Oops, I mean Dylan." She smirked "Go out there and at least try to have fun. We'll keep in touch via the earpiece."

The Spartan gave a nod, then closed his scroll and slid it into his pocket, before walking toward the door and asking "Evelyn! Are you done?" words which garnered a chuckle. Evelyn's response was a shrewd "I dunno. Am I~?" that made the Chief tap his foot. Inhaling, he spoke again with a more serious tone "Evelyn..." and heard her answer "Dy~ylan!" yet again in a similar fashion...

"... You know what, I'm coming out." The Spartan said, pushing the door open and walking out.

"And women everywhere rejoiced!" Evelyn snarkly replied. He heard Cortana actually burst into laughter again at that one. She either needed a tune-up, or grew sense of humor while they wound up above Remnant. The Spartan didn't know eitherway... He took a moment of pause as he walked out, to see Evelyn. She was grinning, her bunny ears floppy as usual, but not under that hat of hers. The way her uniform hugged her forms was... Something to behold. The Spartan felt his heart skip a beat and blinked, trying to look away, but unable to... Thigh-highs, a short skirt... With her snark still present, she asked "So, how do I look, Dylan?"

"John... I'm detecting increased hormonal activity... A given without the Thyroid implant, but, just out of courtesy... You okay?" Cortana spoke, but with an undertone of smug. Chief felt a tinge of heat on his cheeks, but quickly managed to suppress it. Breathing in, then out. He needed to get that thyroid implant fixed and soon... Nodding quickly to Evelyn, the girl grinned even more, before turning to him and walking up to him... He was still about a forehead above her, ears not counted...

"Uh, may I come out?" Penny asked.

"Yes." John hummed, making Evelyn chuckle as they saw Penny walk out of the kitchen. He never bothered to ask why they were all changing in separate locations... Alas, Penny's uniform fit quite well. Not as well as her hand-tailored clothes, but it still did work. One thing John had noticed was that she still had the collar around her neck... He wanted to ask about it, but...

"Hey, Penny. What's up with the collar?" Evelyn asked, voicing it before he could... And with less tact.

The girl placed a hand on the item, then chuckled awkwardly and said "Eheh... Y'see, I've got this..." She took a moment to think about it "Scar! Yes, a positively nasty scar that I have to hide behind this collar as not to be repulsive!" And the Spartan could swear he saw her blushing as she hiccuped. She was hiding something, but for now, it was best not to press the matter.

"Uhh, Jack, if you don't mind coming out as well." John said, to distract attention from Penny before Evelyn started to ask anymore questions... Without word, Jack came over from the Balcony... And the Spartan and everyone else in the room froze as they saw her clad in a male student's uniform, rather than the commonplace female. Her hair was caught in a messy ponytail and she had a calm smile on her face... Until she noticed the stares she got.

"Uhm... What's wrong, guys?" Jack asked, brow raised.

"... You're wearing a male uniform." John said, he himself a bit surprised. She wore it better than he did...

She shrugged "So?"

"... You're serious." Evelyn noted with disgruntlement.

"Yeah... What's wrong with it?" Jack smirked. She wasn't serious... Evelyn let out a few grunts and angry words that chief couldn't make out... Then walked over to the door and slammed her forehead against it once... Twice... That was a third time. Jack looked to Chief with a raised brow, then asked "What's her problem?" pointing at Evelyn. Penny walked up to them...

"Perhaps it has something to do with... It looking better on you than it does on Dylan." Penny offered her take. Both the Spartan and Jack shrugged, before they went to remove their lilac-haired bunny friend from the doorway and go to class. The Spartan found himself having to follow Evelyn and the others through the corridors since he himself wasn't that well-versed with Beacon's walkways, save perhaps for the mess hall and shooting range. He looked to the girls...

"Can I ask one of you to take me to a tour of Beacon after this? I find myself lacking knowledge of where the Classrooms are." He asked... And the girls turned, before Evelyn jumped at the chance with a grin, stopping the other two before they could say anything... The Spartan froze as the girl's grin widened... Oh, God, he was so gonna regret asking for that...

"I'm up for it, if you gals don't mind." Evelyn said...

"I'm okay with it." Penny said with a smile.

"... As long as you don't try and do anything to him." Jack noted. "But maybe after classes." And the Spartan immediately regretted this decision. No questions asked, no time, he just regretted that. As they walked further out into Beacon and toward where the Classes were, they found themselves entering a semi-amphitheater room, almost resembling of an university campus building, which made sense considering Beacon being an Academy. They walked toward the back seats and sat down.

"Any idea how the teachers in Beacon are?" He asked Jack and Evelyn. Both shrugged.

"Been a while since we've been here." The blonde noted. "So for all we know, teachers have changed." and the Spartan nodded, before looking ahead as the teacher entered the class... A rotund man with a bushy mustache, eyebrows and comb-over grey hair. Atop him was a framed weapon. A blunderbuss with an ax embedded into the stock... Interesting.

His voice was pompous, joyous, as he started "Hello, my dear students, and welcome back to the second semester of your wonderful stay here at Beacon!" Quite proudly, as he paced in front of the class, behind his desk. "I am happy to see you all still coming to my class with such enthusiasm! But alas, it seems we have a new team that joins us! Four new students. Team..." He looked at the Registry and started reading out the name "J... P... D... E. My, what a peculiar name for a team. If you don't mind standing up." before gazing back toward the team.

That was the attention of the room on them... The Spartan preferred not to, but alas, he joined his teammates in standing up to be greeted... He looked down below, to see Ruby, grinning to her ears, while the other three, whom he was yet to meet, stared back at him. He nodded to them, then looked ahead as the Professor smiled... At least os the Spartan though, with that 'stache covering his mouth, then said "Welcome! Welcome! It is good to see new students, even this late into the school year, join us for a good education on how to be huntsmen! I am professor Port! Please, do take your seats now!"

As the team took their seats, the man spoke again "Why, this reminds me of that one time as a youngster..."

And the team all took pause upon hearing the groans of the entire class. Chief presumed that this meant Port's stories would be abnormal to listen to. Still, he waited calmly as the man started to speak, paying attention to every word he was speaking... And the entire story lasted for about the entire class... He shook his head as the man continued to talk for the last bits of the hour... "... And there I was, standing victorious over the disappearing carcass of that Grimm beowolf, covered by the dirt and mud of the beautiful forest! As I set up camp, I rewarded myself by starting to brew a kettle of chamomile tea, but yet as I stood by my campsite with utmost calm and the kettle whistled, I found myself taken by surprised by an Oppel! The dastardly, bat-like creature threw me away from my weapon and, had I no Aura, nor the speed to reach my beloved girl, I would have been dead, for certain! Now, what did you understand from all of this, Children?"

"You're kidding me, we were supposed to pay attention?!" Ruby asked a friend in whisper.

"Yes, you dolt, of course you were!" She answered, her voice thinner than Ruby's...

The Spartan took pause, thinking for a moment what the answer was. The Grimm beowolves couldn't smell him due to the mud and dirt and the Oppel couldn't directly track him due to no negative emotion being shown... But the Kettle whistled. Chief raised his hand and Port gave a nod, before John/Dylan stood up and spoke calmly "Is it the fact that, perhaps, the Grimm are more alike to their counterparts in the animal kingdom?"

"Co-rrect! Young man, you have hit the nail right on the head. Children, the Grimm and their forms are bound by a set of laws similar to the Animals they draw their forms from. The Beowolves' smell is keen, the Oppel's hearing is powerful and they utilize echolocation. All of these advanced animal senses can be fooled! Remember this, for it may help you in the midst of combat!" and just as he was about to start anew, the bell rang. The man gave a nod, then told them "Farewell, children! Have a good day and I will see you next Monday!"

The Spartan stood up with his team and turned to Jack, who gave a nod and said "Nice work. How the hell did you even pay attention through all that? You and Penny were possibly the only two I saw here who did that. Evelyn fell fast asleep midway through and even I was on the breaking point." while Evelyn yawned, with Penny continuing a chat the two started before the lesson.

"Training." Chief noted simply. "Be a soldier for long enough and you get used to hearing long-winded stories."

All Jack could do was grin as they walked toward the mess hall. Within it, the Spartan had acquired a conservative portion of potato puree and fried chicken, as well as a brownie off to the side. For a school that's meant to amass a small army, it was pretty interesting that they served good food every so often. The Spartan heard a ping in his ear and Cortana spoke " _Go visit the headmaster as soon as you can... Tell Evelyn the tour can wait. I got Kelly and Linda tracked."_

John hummed as Evelyn and Penny spoke.

Footsteps came up to their table. John turned his head to see it was Ruby who'd come over. She waved, then said "Hey, guys." as a white-haired girl walked up next to her. Ruby continued "How'd you manage to pay attention through all of that, Dylan?" and gazed upon the Chief. He gave the same answer as he gave to his teammates "Training" and he saw the girl beside her give a respectful nod.

"So, you four are new to the school... How's it being in a team with three gi-" Ruby wanted to ask, but paused and looked over to Jack, who was grinning as she ate. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... You are a girl, right?" She then asked, receiving an elbow from her teammate. Jack chuckled, then swallowed the forkful of food and said "Yup. Born like that."

"Oh, sorry for the confusion, it's just you got the male uniform and it looks so good on you and all..." Ruby said quickly, smiling awkwardly. Jack gave a nod and a quick 'thank you' before turning toward the white-haired girl who joined them, arms crossed and froze. With the same thin voice from before, that spoke to Ruby during class, she said "Ruby, you haven't finished your food."

"Awh, come on, Weiss, I wanted to come say hi." Ruby whined.

"Mhm..." The white-haired girl said, then turned to John/Dylan and said "Welcome to Beacon." Respectfully. "You've got an attention span not many in Beacon can be proud of, lasting through the professor's lessons." She then complimented. The Spartan gave a nod and answered "Likewise, miss..." And he raised a brow, surprising the girl. She scratched her chin. The Chief took a moment to observe her... White hair caught and neatly arranged on the right side of her head, with a crown of sorts, deep blue eyes, a white combat dress, jack and high-heeled boots. She was also cute, petite... And very smart from the looks of things.

"You don't know who I am?" She asked. Dylan shook his head... And he saw Evelyn and Penny grin.

"Ah... My name is Weiss Schnee. What is yours?" Weiss offered.

"Dylan Braun." The Chief answered.

"So you're that soldier that's been rumored about around Beacon." Weiss gave a half smile. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise... I presume you're Ruby's teammate with a... Supposedly better sense of fashion, as Penny pointed out to me." The Spartan noted and he saw Weiss grin, while Ruby frowned. He shrugged as he saw the Schnee gal push her hair over her shoulder and coyly answer "Well, it would make sense of you to assume that. It surely couldn't be either Yang or Blake."

 _"WHAT?!"_ John heard a voice cry out afar.

"Excuse me, Ice Queen?" A thicker voice said smugly. Why was every girl in Beacon a different kind of knockout, the Spartan couldn't help but wonder... And then wonder why he thought that. A beauty with a mane of blonde hair, a pair of lilac eyes and a grin worth days walked up to the table, a hand on her hip. She waved to Dylan and the others and said "Hi all. Guess you're the team Ruby wouldn't shut up about..." before she turned her attention to Dylan and winked "And you're the guy she made that crazy gun for... Man, she didn't mention you're cute." before patting Ruby on the back, pulling her hood up over her head and quipping "Sis, ya trying to nab a guy before me?"

"Y-Yang, it's not like that!" Ruby squeaked out in embarrassment, pulling the hood off her head. Weiss rolled her eyes.

"I'm Ruby's big sis, Yang Xiao-Long." The blonde pointed at herself with a thumb. "What's yer name, Handsome?"

"Dylan. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yang." The Spartan noted... Before realizing "You're the one who used 'Common Sense' on her... Aren't you?" and thus making Yang take a moment... Her grin vanished completely as she processed what he'd said... Then it reappeared a second later as she burst into laughter. Ruby pouted, blushing and glaring silver daggers at the chief. The Spartan shrugged as he got eyed by his three new teammates.

"Oh my gosh, she actually said that?!" Yang asked through the laughter.

"DYLAN! THAT WAS MEANT TO BE PERSONAL!" Ruby screeched angrily, still glaring at the chief. Like a smol puppy.

"It was?" The Spartan asked monotonously.

"YES!"

"What are you three doing here?" A black-haired beauty with a bow and even stranger clothing than the others asked. In her right hand was an open book with a rather colorful cover. Her amber eyes stared at the four at the table and at her three teammates. She looked to the Chief and gave him a nod, before saying "I'm Blake Belladonna. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise. I'm Dylan." The Spartan said... He was getting to used to this name... And it was annoying for it being barely a few days since he was here.

"Oh, hey, Blakey! We were just here to meet Dylan and co. We never got your names, though." Yang observed, nodding to Evelyn and Jack, then waving "Hey, Penny! Welcome to Beacon, by the way!" and receiving a happy wave back from Penny. The Spartan looked to Evelyn, who grinned and nodded, before standing up and extending her hand to Yang.

"Name's Evelyn Damerot. Pleasure to meet you,girls!" She said as she and Yang shook hands.

"Likewise, Evelyn." Yang nodded, before turning to Jack and saying "Ah, hey! A fellow blonde! Finally!"

Jack chuckled, taken for a moment out of her stupor, before she said "Hey there. Name's Jacqueline B. Ivory, but do call me Jack, 'kay Yang?"

"'Kay! Nice to meetcha." The cheerful blonde brawler said. "Damn, Dylan, a lot of boys would like to be in your position, surrounded by so many cuties." She then quipped, winking at him again "Do call if you need sparring partners outside your team." and then ruffled Ruby's hair. Aside from Penny, his teammates had suddenly grown shit-eating grins on their faces... The Spartan didn't understand. Even Cortana was laughing.

"So... Dylan. You do not know of the Schnee Dust Company?" Weiss raised a brow. The Spartan's answer was a quiet shake of his head. The girl tapped her lip, then said "I see... Well, I believe your teammates can brief you on that. We can talk later, if you so wish." to which the Spartan gave a nod... And heard a scream " _OH, COME ON!"_ The Spartan was starting to question what that was right now.

"Very well." Weiss said, smiling "We'll see each-other soon, Dylan. It was nice to make your acquaintance"

 _"SERIOUSLY!?"_ Again... Who was screaming?

"Yeah, see ya, D-Man!" Yang smirked

"Later." Blake waved, giving a nod to him.

"See you, Dylan. Remind me to ask you how you did that later." Ruby smiled as well as they walked back to their table. The Spartan could swear he heard bickering from among the team. Most of it directed at Weiss, nonetheless. What did he do...? He'd have to ask himself that later. He quickly finished his lunch, bid a quick goodbye to the girls and told them he had an errand to run, as asked by Ozpin, before leaving to grab his armor.

Now fully kitted after about half an hour of fiddling with it, the Spartan strode toward the Landing Pad, Caliburn on his back and he himself ready for battle. He saw Ozpin awaiting for him there already, with a Bullhead drop ship ready to go. Chief greeted the man with a tilt of his head, to which Ozpin responded "Are you certain this signal is allied, Master Chief?"

"Hopefully so, sir." The Spartan noted calmly.

"How did you catch the carrier wave that transported it here, anyways?" Ozpin asked, looking at him.

"Sir, my armor has a special receptor for friendly IFFs and radio. Both of which were active before my ship went down." He noted "I am sure this is some portion of my team... Of my people... Still alive out there." and Ozpin sighed. He waved the Spartan aboard without another word, taking him for granted, then showed the pilot to wait a moment. The man looked over his glasses at the Chief...

Then spoke "You are a man who knows how to hide things, Chief... I've noticed some hesitance when you talked about your kingdom. If you've anything to say to me, to clarify, I trust you will." to which the Chief simply gave a nod... Ozpin was a suspicious man, probably with every right to be so. It was highly likely that he had seen many things as headmaster of Beacon... Chief knew the thousand yard stare when he saw one...

Ozpin waved the pilot off, then saluted the Chief and said "Bring them home, Master Chief!"

He planned to...

... Combat on the ground had gotten worse. Left with nothing but a sword and an M6 Magnum with just a magazine, Kelly swiped and slashed and stabbed, but after quite a few days of continuous fighting and running, even the famed Spartan scout was getting tired... Linda had gotten to wield a local sniper to suppress the Grimm. It was a 50 caliber rifle with a scope, but with more ammo than what her Sniper had. She stowed her own sniper on her back and fired from the 50 BMG rifle... They'd been pinned down by a Grimm Flyer the locals called 'Nevermore' and a horde of smaller creatures emerging from shrubbery and thick underbrush.

"Fuck..." Cobalt said, panting as he leaned on his rifle-staff. "This is too much...

"Noticed." Kelly snapped the neck of a Beowolf and sliced another, but she too started to breathe heavily. Linda snapped another shot into a Grimm creature that tried to attack the Scout gal from behind. This made 50 times Linda had saved her butt, while Kelly had only saved the sniper at least 35 times... She was gonna owe Linda something or other when they got to this 'Vale' place... And for the first time in her life, Kelly too felt the need for a cold, stiff drink like many Marines she'd heard.

Dodging hardened, large quills launched as projectiles by the Nevermore, Kelly nearly fell over. The other Huntsmen tried to keep the creature away with enough flak... But Kelly was shocked as it dived toward her. She dodged a beak attack, then stabbed into the side of the creature's neck, where she found exposed feathers and flesh. Black mist seeped from the wound and the angry, scarlet-eyed, oversized raven screamed at Kelly, almost blowing her helmet's audio sensors. She gritted her teeth, kicked the creature in the mouth and jumped backward into a flip, landing on her feet as the damn thing scurried toward her...

And she gasped as lightning thundered from the dark sky... And a high-powered, Mach-speed bolt struck through the creature's bone mask, shattering it, blowing its eyes out and sending the corpse tumbling to the side. Another pair of shots echoed in the distance and two bigger Grimm creatures, Ursai, were killed off. And above, an aircraft, thick, with little in the way of armor plating, hovered...

Kelly and Linda both gasped and the Sniper joined Kells as an IFF Flared on screen... An unbelievable IFF... And they saw the Supersoldier clad in the emerald MJOLNIR suit jump down and, with a single blow, shatter the ground below him as he landed. He spun the strange gravity bludgeon in his hand and pummeled three Grimm, sewing them together simply due to the force of the weapon striking them. Their corpses, if they didn't vaporize, flew, halved, into the thick shrubbery of the forest.

"Oh, my goodness... Linda, tell me I'm not seeing things." Kelly asked her friend as the Spartan turned toward them... MJOLNIR Mark VI Armor... Dented, scratched, burned... But with a faint scribbled number on the left side of the plating... **_117._** The ID Tag confirmed the number... Linda was the first to step up, with Kelly following behind the shooter...

"John? Is that... Really you?" Linda asked with disbelief, her lip trembling in her helmet...

"Linda... Kelly..." John himself spoke, his youthful voice still recognizable. Kelly gasped, then did a sign John recognized. Putting her left hand to her face and using her index and middle finger, she made a semicircle on her helmet's face plate, specifically her visor... A Smile... The _Spartan Smile._ John couldn't help but actually smile behind his helmet as he placed a hand on Kelly's shoulder, then on Linda's and gave them a nod, responding with the Spartan Smile himself. The girls wanted to hug him, but he was their superior... So instead they saluted proudly.

Chief saluted too... Then spun about and punted a Grimm Creep with his armored boot, sending it sky-high. Kelly chuckled as she readied her sword, then said "Nice kick." as she readied herself to fight. Chief hummed, then readied his Bludgeon, to which Linda raised a brow and walked up beside them too, 50 cal ready. The trio soon heard a voice in their helmets... " _Hey, girls! Miss me?"_

"Cortana..." Linda said, almost melancholic

"I'll be damned, girl, I was about to ask..." Kelly chuckled.

" _Ain't no time for a reunion now. Gotta clear a landing spot for the Pilot... Good to see you both again, though. We have much to talk about, but for now... Sic'em!"_ Cortana quipped.

The trio of Spartans took fighting stances... And engaged, the two girls now with renewed vigor. John lanced forward, pummeling a Grimm into a tree with his elbow, before slamming another into the floor with his bludgeon and then switching to rifle mode and firing. A round punched through an Ursa, cooking it from the inside out as it exploded... A fire dust crystal embedded within the round. Smart, Ruby. Smart.

Kelly joined in, slicing a Beowolf's arm off and kicking its teeth in as it tried to bite at the Chief, before stabbing it in the throat and throwing it toward another of its companions just before it dissolved. She nodded to Chief, who nodded back. His teammates hadn't rusted in the years he's been out. Linda's sniper thundered twice and a pair of Grimm wound up with neat holes in heir throats, falling to the ground.

Another six shots from the sniper and Linda then joined in, her Bowie Knife out and stabbing. She grabbed a Grimm by the throat and stabbed it at least seven times, before lobbing its head off and tossing the corpse aside. She jumped onto a second one, slit its throat, grabbed a third and tossed it into its friends, then drew her handgun and shot through five more. She threw her knife into a Creep, pinning it to a tree trunk and then kicking it through said tree trunk. She retrieved the knife, then grabbed a Beowolf by the spikes, snapped one off, shoved it down its throat and kicked the creature aside.

All 3 now switched to ranged equipment and emptied entire magazines, with Chief's rounds exploding on contact and killing several dozen of the horde... Enough so to thin it out. The trio of Spartans cooperated, nailing target after target with precise fire. Any smart Grimm ran away before the onslaught became worse... And the Chief raised his clenched fist, showing the Spartans to cease fire. The moment he did that, both Kelly and Linda stopped shooting, only scanning the treeline... Whatever was left of it.

John stowed his weapon on his back, then took his helmet off. Kelly and Linda did the same, revealing their younger looks. Both girls were not holding back their smiles, despite their training. Kelly walked up to John and shoved him in the shoulder, before saying "Sorry, sir, but... All of us thought you were dead. You could've at least called..." and Linda joined Kelly.

"It was a long sleep..." Chief sighed. "Good to see you girls are well, though."

"Likewise, John." Linda noted. "Now, Cortana said there's a lot to be explained right now... We gonna talk aboard the bird?" She then asked as the Bullhead touched down to help the evacuation. The Chief nodded to them. The trio started walking toward the aircraft and loaded up... And from here on out, a lot of explanations would be needed to the two Blue Team members... Many they wouldn't believe at the start. But this was the Chief. Their friend since childhood. They'd do just fine. For the time being, though, the Spartan had to find IDs for them... If not keep their real names, had Cortana any access to their files pre-Recruitment.


	7. 141-023

"... You're kidding, right?" Kelly inquired, a look of dumbfound surprise on her face.

"Afraid not." Cortana admitted, crossing her arms as her avatar floated in Chief's hand. The Spartan girls seemed surprised at what Cortana had come up with. While it was understandable that the Chief wanted to hide the idea of possible extra-remnantian life for the time being from these people in Vale. But lying about allegiances? It was something no Spartan had ever done before. And if ONI found out...

... If ONI found out, nothing would happen. Covert Spartan operations on a planet of humans without the UNSC or ONI or Insurgents. ONI would do nothing if they found out. And Chief and Cortana wanted to shield the Remnant folk from the truth of the Covenant and even the UNSC, understandably. Of life outside their solar system being hostile. Kelly understood... And from the look Linda gave, she did too.

"So... What covert names do we go by?" Kelly asked, grinning.

"Y'see... I haven't come up with any, yet..." Cortana chuckled awkwardly as the bird continued its flight. "We can stick to your actual names... If Dylan doesn't mind." The girl then noted, making the Chief frown. The girls chuckled and Kelly looked to Chief. He gave a nod, checking his helmet for cracks and damages. As the bird flew in and made a swing toward Beacon's landing pad, Kelly and Linda whistled and smiled, respectively.

"That's no school. That's a city." Linda noted, then she gazed down at the landing pad and saw two people... "Someone wearing a pink suit and an old man are waiting for us down there." She observed, standing up. Kelly stood up too, with the Chief following and stowing Cortana's chip back into his helmet. All 3 Spartans had their helmets under their arms and were standing straight.

"So, this Ozpin... He friendly?" Kelly asked the chief in whisper.

"Friendly enough... Welcomed me to Beacon without much fuss. But I believe he suspects the story I put up." Chief answered calmly as the aircraft landed. Ozpin, or to the girls, that old man, was first to step up and greet the new arrivals. He smiled, holding his cane as he greeted "Welcome back, Master Chief. And greetings to your team-mates." bowing to Kelly and Linda. "I am Headmaster Ozpin, of Beacon. It is my pleasure to finally meet more of those whom Dylan thought had died."

"The pleasure is ours, Headmaster." Kelly answered calmly. "I am Petty Officer Second Class, Kelly. I would rather not reveal my second name yet. I understand our CO did so, but I wish to keep it to myself for now." and she looked to John with hidden half-grin. He nodded approvingly, then looked to Linda, who took a step forth as well and arranged her ginger hair, surprising Ozpin slightly.

"I'm Petty Officer Second Class, Linda. With a similar story as Kelly." The woman spoke.

Ozpin raised a brow, then said "Very well." before turning to the pink, bunny-eared girl behind him and saying "Miss Damerot, if you don't mind starting the tour? I feel like we won't need to set the two ladies here into the system." before once again looking to them "Do you mind being assigned to the same dorm room as the Master Chief?" he asked. And the girls shook their heads.

"Wait, living with us?" Evelyn asked, eyes wide "Not sure how Penny and Jack are gonna take that, boss."

Kelly ran a hand through her crew-cut blue hair, then looked to Chief with a raised brow and the half-grin yet again present, yet hidden from Oz's view. Chief ignored this one, looking forward. Ozpin simply nodded to Evelyn, then bid a good day to the girls and Chief... Evelyn rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged, before grinning and saying "Sup, Lin, Kells. I'm Evelyn Damerot, Dylan's teammate... Well, new teammate. Welcome to Beacon! I will be your tour guide!"

"Pleasure to meet you, Evelyn." Both girls spoke.

The girl waved the trio of Spartans with her as they started walking. John knew three ways he could already show to Linda and Kelly:The Dorms, the mess hall and Ozpin's office... Four if he counted the shooting range. But alas, he'd let the girl do her thing for now. As they started walking, Evelyn started talking "Beacon is the Huntsman Training School in Vale, pretty big place, also very famous as the first school to actually be founded. It's gotten stuff added to it since day one, where it was just the CCT, a few classrooms and dorms."

"CCT?" Linda raised a brow...

"Cross-Continental Transmitter System. CCTS for short. Or CCT. It acts as a network through which we can share a lot of stuff, from funny videos to actually important information. It's run by 4 towers and if the system ever goes down, it's due to maintenance cross-Remnant for one of the towers. It's also got some of the best security on the planet." She explained. The Chief recalled Cortana mentioning a sort of Internet on the planet...

"Cortana?" The Chief whispered.

"Yes." She answered.

"... Did you happen to do anything I should know with the CCT Network? You usually don't slip up enough for us to be found and I've heard Ozpin say we were tagged." He asked and heard Cortana chuckle. She did and he knew very well why. No need to question it at this point. "You did it so we were gonna be tagged... And found... And possibly welcomed into Beacon. Smart."

"John, what do you take me for?" The girl quipped. The Chief responded with a single chuckle as they walked toward the Mess Hall first, as per Linda's picking. He knew the girl was peckish, probably from a long-time mission, since, even with all her hiding it, he had heard her stomach grumble aboard the gunship. As they walked into the Mess Hall, the girl turned to the Chief.

"So, we're in the Mess Hall. Remember the place, Dylan?" Evelyn grinned.

"Yes... It's where food its served..." He noted.

"It's also where you can earn some money, Bucko." The girl noted, before going forth to rummage under her cap as Kelly and Linda turned to the Chief. He shrugged... The girl pulled out a small black card, then handed it to the Chief... Then pulled out two more and gave them to the girls and said "These are digital wallets, where you can keep your money."

She arranged her hat on the top of her head, then arranged her ear... Chief raised a brow, then said "Thank you Evelyn... But can I ask something?"

"Hmm?" She said, smiling.

"Does it not feel odd to wear both your ears and that top-hat?" He asked...

And Evelyn took a moment, before answering " _Wear_ my ears...?" and receiving a nod from the Chief... She sighed, then showed him to take off a glove... The Spartan raised a brow, then removed part of the gauntlet, unlatching and unzipping the bodyglove around the palm. He walked up to Evelyn, who took his hand into hers and placed it upon her... Real... _Wholely fleshy_ ear... The Spartan felt it closer, edging the leathery skin of the ear, before feeling the inner area, which had fur and then touching the tip... Before he paused. "O-Oi..." Evelyn whined a bit, blushing...

"It's real..." John said, amazed as he ran his hand down to the base of the ear... Evelyn, had apparently had enough, pulling the ear away and holding it away from the Chief, close to her head... Blushing and frowning, she said "Jeez! What's gotten into you, playing with someone's ear like that?" before walking past him as Kelly and murmured "At least try to hold yourself back next time..." The Spartan gals forced themselves not to giggle. Chief took a pause and... waaaaaaaaait. What did she mean by next time?

They went around to Ozpin's office, the classrooms and finally got to the dorms. Evelyn looked to Kelly and Linda and asked "So, you gals got the route back home memorized?" to which both of them nodded.

"Interesting place. And big." Kelly hummed, looking about.

"Quite beautiful too... A step up from the barracks." Linda noted.

"Glad to hear that. You gals are gonna be spending an awful lot of time here, I'm thinkin'." The Bunny quipped, hand on her hip. She waved them toward team JPDE's dorm and knocked on the door, before yelling "Yo! Penny! You girl decent!? We got guests!" with a grin on her face. Penny propped open the door, peeking from behind and gasped as she saw the two girls standing in the doorway next to the Chief and Evelyn.

"Hello." Linda waved.

"'Sup." Kelly nodded, smiling.

"Oh my God, you're Dylan's teammates?" Penny asked, opening the door, before cheerfully saying "Come on in! We're happy to meet you!" as the girls walked into the dorm... The blondie, Jack, waved at them, smiling, then turned to clean her weapon. The two girls looked around... The room was a good size, nice enough to fit 4... Perhaps six although barely.

"Happy to know your team is alive and well, Chief." Jack noted, before standing up and extending her hand toward the girls "I'm Jacqueline B. Ivory. Do call me Jack, though." and the two shook her hand.

"Name's Kelly." The scout offered. "Nice to meet you, Jack."

"I'm Linda." Snapshot said "Like Kells said. Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet both of you." Jack returned, grinning "So, I see the armor runs in the family." And she pointed to the MJOLNIR sets. The trio nodded. Jack turned to Chief and said "You didn't mention where you were going yesterday. I will hazard a wild guess and say that you got the girls home over from some kinda Grimm issue. Oz told me you caught the Distress Signal before the CCTS could."

"Mhm." He nodded.

"Could've told us you were bringing in two of your friends. Would've cleaned up." The woman explained. Chief shrugged, making Jack chuckle. She looked out to see the sun start to set, then said "I guess we'll be prepping to hit the hay. I should ask Oz to have someone bring in a couple more beds so you girls can sleep too... Carrots, the tour of Vale will wait 'till tomorrow, alright?" And she took out her scroll. Kelly wanted to intervene, but Chief showed her to let it go for now.

"Fine by me..." Yawned Evelyn.

Later on in the night, John sat in the balcony, his helmet laying on the table... He had been unable to sleep... Hearing the door crack open as he sat there in his armor's undersuit, he watched as Kelly and Linda walked out, also in nothing but their black catsuits with the attachment ports for the armors. They took seats adjacent to the chief and stared out as the half-broken Moon of Remnant lazily rose overhead... Everyone else was fast asleep in the room.

"So..." Kelly started, smiling. "How're you feeling, John?"

"... Odd." He answered, staring outward at the sky.

"How come?" Linda inquired, leaning back a bit as she arranged her shoulder-length ginger hair. He shrugged, then looked to them "I feel odd, lying about my allegiance. You must be feeling the same." He hummed. They nodded and looked to each-other, before turning back to the chief. Kelly stood up and walked toward the railing, leaning on it and staring out at the stars.

"Which of'em do you think is Sol?" She asked, looking back to Chief.

He shrugged.

"Oh, come on, Johnnie. Try to make a guess." Kelly urged him, grinning. Chief rolled his eyes and stood up, with Linda joining them. This was like back in training, when they'd get out of the bunks without Chief Mendez's permission and go out to stare into the starlit sky of Reach. Back when they were still children, that was. He stared at several stars, before finding a brighter one and pointing at it.

"Kinda was aiming to pick that one as well." Linda noted.

"We know you feel odd, John. It is kind of odd to have to lie, but we're facing a planet neither the UNSC nor the Covenant could've found... My main guess is that Cortana wants not to scare the populace of Remnant with the thought of ET knocking at their door." Kelly gave her take, before looking to John and saying "We're here and that enough would surprise dozens of people. That we're humans from another planet, much more from a conglomerate of a good few hundred planets."

"I thought the same... Doesn't cut the odd feeling in my gut." Chief answered.

"Hey, as long as we don't do anything bad to the people around, we'll be fine." Kelly smirked. "What's your take, Linda?"

"I agree. Long as we don't do anything to harm the local populace, we should be fine if we ever want to reveal ourselves." Linda answered. "What's Cortana's take, I wonder?"

"Pretty much the reason I did what I did." The AI noted from Chief's helmet speakers, which she set to low volume. The girls looked to John, who looked back at them, then turned to Cortana and gave a nod. He looked ahead as Cortana once again spoke "You know? I have a feeling... Call it my gut feeling... But I think you won't be the only Spartans on Remnant."

"Why's that?" John asked.

"Well... I frankly just believe so." The girl probably shrugged. "Why, John? Starting to believe in God more than your friend?"

"No atheist in a foxhole, I guess." Chief quipped and Cortana chuckled in response, as did Linda and Kelly.

The Sniper then looked to John and said "The girls... They seem friendly." tilting her head toward the entry to the dorm room. John nodded, then sat back down, followed by the girls taking their seats. He answered calmly "They are. Penny was the first to find me. Evelyn... I woke up with her on top of me... And Jack seems to be a girl with her head on straight. Almost Spartan to some respect."

"Man... When Fred gets here, he's gonna have a heyday meeting everybody." Kelly chuckled... "Wonder why he didn't drop by with us."

"Probably was nowhere near close that Forerunner tech when it exploded in our faces..." Linda shrugged. "He'll find his way here if we know him..."

"I trust Fred to be smart enough to do that." Chief gave his take as he leaned back into his seat. "Have to wonder who else would show up though... Us and Fred are probably the only ones left still active on the roster." He then hummed, deep in though. Kelly and Linda sighed deeply, before looking over to Cortana as she hummed something. John looked back and asked "... You know anything new, Cortana?"

"Well..." The girl started... "Y'see...?"

The group looked at each-other, then at Cortana and all asked in unison "Who else did you tag?"

... _Meanwhile_ , in the deep parts of a forest of scarlet trees that the locals knew as the Forever Fall, a pair of young girls, clad in MJOLNIR suits, both blonde, fought, firing MA5Bs into the treeline as the Creatures of Grimm rushed them. One clad in Scarlet CQB armor swore "Dammit! WHAT ARE THESE THINGS!? AND HOW MANY ARE THERE?!" showing not fear, but annoyance. While the other one, a hint taller than her comrade and clad in Mark V olive drab armor, with a scarlet stripe on her arm, stood silent, emptying her magazine into whatever rushed them.

"I've got no idea..." She finally answered "But I'm down to my last mag."

"Same." Red answered, gritting her teeth. "Make our shots count?"

"If we can... I don't think we miss much even if we just fire randomly... I'm just more concerned of fisticuffs with what seems to be demons." The taller blonde noted, snapping her rifle at targets and shooting in bursts, while her red comrade fired aimlessly, hitting tree and creature alike. Thankfully, the things charging them were tiny and easy to kill... Well, 'tiny'. They weren't any bigger than a house dog, but were bipedal, lizard-like and with the mouths full of gators' teeth, while also presenting bone plating as armor. Easy enough to pierce, but the translucent black skin wasn't...

"Thick hides... I hope nothing bigger comes our way. I'm down to 13 rounds." The tall one reported.

"... 13 rounds? I'm out." Red said in annoyance, stowing the rifle on her back as the two pressed against each-other, to cover each-other

"Did I mention firing in short bursts?" Tall yet again spoke.

"Nope..." Red returned, drawing the knife on her chest plate. "Good thing I have my blade..."

"Try not to drop it like last time..." Tall patronized, making Red chuckle.

"Not gonna happen..." She answered as another long burst came from Tall's rifle... And the rifle locked on her back. Red sighed, then said "Helluva day I picked to empty my Magnum, to be honest." And she received a hum of agreement from Tall... Looking back at her newly-acquired, yet old friend from back in the Spartan-II project, Red saw the IFF Tag display on her HUD... **_141._**

Red, meanwhile, to Tall, had the number tag **_023_** as identification... The two knew each-other very well, enough so to be considering each-other sisters and having fought together and trained together in the S-II project, only to be split up, still friends, for different operational jobs. Despite neither of them saying it, whilst also being very Talkative, they were glad to be back on the same battleground... Even if it was possible both had somehow bit the dust... And were gonna bite it again quite possibly.

A bigger creature rushed out from among the trees... Resembling a massive porcupine... It roared in anger, joined by the smaller ones...

"Oh, Great..." 141 muttered. "Gonna need backup to pin that thing down..." and she felt an armored fist hit her thigh.

"Got your back, as usual." 023 answered with a possibly snarky grin behind her helmet. 141 smiled, despite it not being visible, but showed her joy by doing the Spartan Smile, before both took a fighting stance, balled fists and knives out and at the ready. 023 grinned, then said "This is gonna be just like the old times... Remember when we fought Jorge in a Spar?"

"Yep... Let's hope this one fight has a better chance of success than us fighting him." 141 returned... "Otherwise, we're gonna be munched."

"Always with the optimism..." 23 chuckled, taking her favorite combat stance "C'mon... Let's fuck it up."

It would take a good week or two for the Spartans to fight through everything and at least reach some place civilized. They'd both activated transponders for pickup by any UNSC or friendly unit, but sent no words with the distress signal... This trend, of people dropping in unannounced, all somehow related to the Master Chief and his two friends, was not new. And would more than likely continue, by what Ozpin felt. The Master Chief's two comrades joined him here... He understood secrecy up to a point and would let it slide until it affected his students... Then, it would be a problem to the Headmaster.


	8. Forever Falls Part 1:How'd you go?

Kelly started patrols today, by Chief's order, walking through the halls of Beacon with nothing but a sword and a handgun. Chief still had ammo for his Magnum, thankfully, so that was enough for Kelly's patrol to have at least one ranged option. As she strolled around the hallways of Beacon's dorms, she kept both the bladed weapon and pistol stowed, on the back and on her thigh respectively.

Still wearing the MJOLNIR Mark II Armor she had modified, helmet on her head, the active-duty Spartan got more than a few glances sent her way from First Year students at Beacon. For now, she cared little about anything else other than her job... As she strolled on through the halls, she felt like she was being watched. Cocking her head back, the Spartan girl tried to spot who it was staring at her in the sea of people, but saw only the different kids.

She turned back to her patrol, taking a right through the corridors into one of the empty areas of the Dorms. Probably Second Years' rooms. She stopped in the middle of the corridor, then looked back again, to see a scarlet hood hidden behind a corner. Whoever it was let out a gasp in a girlish voice and hid behind the corner... Kelly raised a brow, then strolled toward the corner... Well, ran, and yanked the girl by the hood as she was about to leave, then asked "Gonna stare at me and not introduce yourself, lil' Red? That's rude." as she picked up the girl with one hand.

"AAAHIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRRYYYYYYYY~!" yelled the young, squeaky gal, grabbing onto her gauntlet. Kelly turned the girl around, to find a little silver-eyed cutie staring at her, flushing, beet red and staring with surprised silver eyes at her as she hung on for dear life. Kelly chuckled, then removed her helmet and clipped it to her belt, before giving the girl a very disappointed, motherly look.

"What's your name? And what's your business with me?" Kelly then asked sternly.

"Ruby Rose, first year at Beacon, I was just looking at the armor 'cuz it reminds me of one of my classmates, didn't mean to be rude! PLEASEPUTMEDOWN!" Little Red begged, suddenly gripping onto Kelly's hand with both arms and legs. Kelly forgot she was a bit over 2 meters tall... While this kid looked 1,5 meters. Maybe 1,55 if Kelly's eyes worked right. The Spartan looked at the little Huntress...

"... You should at least let your feet hang a bit so I can put you down normally, Ruby." Kelly offered. "Not gonna let go now. Feet at least detached from my arm, Ruby..." She then spoke... Ruby slowly let go of her grip with her legs on Kelly's arm and let them hang. Kelly slowly lowered her arm as Ruby still hanged onto it with her hands, as not to get choked by her hood, then set her down. Kelly then let go of the girl's hood and crossed her arms.

"Thanks..." Ruby gave an awkward chuckle, avoiding eye contact. "And sorry again."

"It's fine... Armor like mine, Chief and Linda's is obvious rarity here." Kelly returned and extended her hand. "Now, let's try introductions again. Hello, Ruby. I am Kelly, a Petty Officer Second Class and of the same squad as... I presume you girls call him Dylan." She smiled. Ruby smiled back and shook her hand, then nodded. The little girl was a bit too cute to be fighting monsters like the Grimm. Still, she'd better not judge.

"You called Dylan Chief... That's his rank, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yup. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. Master Chief is what we nicknamed him. That or Chief." Kelly grinned. "He got us through more than a few rough spots. And MCPO is the highest rank you can get in our Navy." She then explained. "C'mon. We can talk while we head for your dorm room." the girl finished, then Ruby nodded as they started strolling back down the halls.

"You mentioned another girl... Linda..." Ruby raised a brow.

"Our sniper. Crack shot too... Never missed once." Kelly noted, smiling still. "I, Chief,her and another of our friends went through a lot. Never once did we look back and think we made a mistake." She then continued. Ruby smiled too, looking at the youthful Veteran recalling her pals. Still, for the Chief to get the highest rank, the guy must've been serving for at least as long as a Huntsman has to go through school... Since 13.

It was a scary thought. While Ruby and, by extension, her teammates, Yang included, joined up as Huntresses of their free will, the young soldiers of Dylan's team could well have been drafted or forced to work. She dreaded to think of how her life would've been had she no choice in the matters of her own dream job. For just that moment that thought ran through her mind, she frowned... And Kelly seemed to catch onto it.

"Thinking if we were drafted or something? Well, that's a subject you can ask about later." Kelly noted calmly. "You've got your life ahead of you, though. So do we. We can always make up lost time..." Now, at least... Kelly knew very well how poorly their lives could've ended oh so many times against the Covenant. Insurgents were pushovers, but the Covenant? That was the main problem... For a long time. Hell, they could've been among the casualty Spartans during the gene engineering.

She sighed, then tried to remember it was all for the greater good. The UNSC needed soldiers and the fact they got out of training just as the Covies came into the limelight was enough reason for her to say she'd do it all all over again if it meant rescuing the people she rescued, saving the lives she saved. She looked to Ruby, keeping the smile, then said "Don't worry too much, Ruby. Trust me, we're fine."

"Right." Ruby nodded, smiling... She could actually feel a moment of hesitation from Kelly there, for a moment. The young redhead rubbed the back of her neck as she wondered and thought what the three must've gone through... And where their buddy was. If there was four of them, another was at least supposed to have come with'em, right? Or... perhaps he didn't make it.

"So, anything in particular you wanna talk about, Ruby? I can tell you a bit about my armor if you want." Kelly offered, taking Ruby's attention away from the sorrowful thoughts... Jesus, the kid meeting a veteran scarred her a bit... But when she heard mention of the MJOLNIR, she beamed, getting closer to the Spartan all of the sudden and staring with the cutest smile the Spartan had ever actually seen.

Enough so that her own smile widened. "Alright, so whaddaya wanna know?"

"How does it work? It's not like anything I've ever seen. And not even Atlas has this kind of technology." Ruby noted.

"Oh, it's a long explanation. If you've got time one of these days, I can tell you the important bits." Kelly offered.

"Sure. Whenever you're free, drop by the RWBY Dorms." Little Red Ridinghood answered jovially. Kelly gave a nod and Ruby looked to the door, to see and then exclaimed "Oh, we're here! Wanna meet my team before you go back to... Whatever you were doing?" before she knocked at her door, not even giving Kelly time to breathe as she said "Hey, girls! You wouldn't believe who I met when walking around the halls!"

The door opened, revealing a blonde beauty not to dissimilar to Jack, a grin on her face. She whistled, then said "Jeez, D-Man didn't let us know he had sisters."

"Teammates, actually." Kelly clarified, smirking. "I'm Kelly. Who're you?"

"Name's Yang. Nice to meetcha, Kelly." The blonde extended a hand. Kelly gripped and shook. "C'mon in." Yang offered. "We were just getting ready to have a quick brunch in our rooms before heading to class." and Kelly smelled the scent of food already... She took pause as she saw a white-haired woman sitting there, sharpening her weapon, a chromed rapier.

"Oh, greetings." She said, noticing Kelly and standing up. "One of Dylan's compatriots, I presume?" and she walked up to her, extending her hand. "I'm Weiss Schnee."

Kelly once again shook her hand, then said "I'm Kelly. And yeah, I'm one of Chief's teammates." before finding a sturdier seat to take. She sat down and set her pistol on the table, as well as her sword, before asking "So, you girls usually this friendly to heavily armored girls and boys, or did the Chief just have crazy luck?" before snorting and realizing what she asked "Okay, nevermind..."

"What?" Yang smirked, leaning on her bunk be-what the hell?

"... What did you girls do to your beds?" Kelly raised a brow as she just noticed the unsafe build of the bunks. Yang and Ruby grinned, while Weiss planted a palm on her face... Kelly could hazard a guess "DIY Bunk Beds? Really?" and received a nod from both girls as an answer. She huffed... Books holding the two beds on her right up as supports... And rope and whatever else holding the left. Either these girls were miracle workers, really lucky, or they'd do fine as engineers for UNSC fortifications when and if the time ever came.

"... So, what did you wanna say about the Chief?" Ruby asked, brow raised.

"Ah, right... Dylan always had crazy luck, really. Always." The Spartan girl chuckled "His luck got us through a dozen missions."

"Heh. So yeah, his luck influenced him landing and finding Penny." Ruby voiced "And having Penny trick me into building a weapon for him." she then stated... And Kelly seemed surprised, looking at her, before she stood up, leaving her helmet on the table next to her gear and walking to Ruby. She looked to all 3 of them... 4, if she counted the girl who had just exited the kitchen with a tray full of toast, ham and eggs.

"So... When was someone gonna tell me one of the Chief's teammates came here?" She asked.

"Just as you got out, Blakey." Yang winked.

"Right..." Blake sighed, then looked to Kelly "I'm Blake Belladonna. Welcome."

"Thanks. I'm Kelly." The girl answered, then turned to Ruby and asked "YOU... You built Chief's weapon!?" and she received a weak nod from Ruby, who seemed worried now. She simply smiled, then said "Ruby, you've got magic hands and one heck of a brain if you managed to build a rail rifle for the Chief. You're smart." before patting her on the head. Red chuckled, then blushed and waved it off.

"Yeah, did a good couple of all-nighters. Almost forgot to drink water a couple of times." Yang noted.

Kelly raised a brow, then said "You shouldn't overwork yourself like that, Ruby."

"Yes, well, Dylan's a friend, so I had to do it for him." Ruby simply answered... At that, Kelly couldn't help but smile... Ruby was a kind soul, she could tell that much... She nodded to the girls, then said "I should get back to my patrol route. It's been nice meeting all of you, but for now I have to go."

"Goodbye, miss Kelly." Weiss nodded.

"Later, Kelly! Been fun meeting ya!" Ruby smiled.

"It's been interesting to meet one of the Chief's comrades." Blake offered "A good day to you."

"See ya, Kells. Come by any time you want to talk." Yang offered. "And say hello to D-Man for us."

"Will do, Yang, girls. Later." The girl waved goodbye, then walked out and back to her patrol route. Nice group of four. They were quite friendly, those girls... She chuckled as she realized Ruby said she'd built Chief's weapon just because she considered him a friend. That was friendly to the point of naivety, but it was great that Chief wouldn't take advantage of that...

On the other side of the building, on her assigned patrol path, Linda saw Kelly return to their room after a while. Linda'd also planned to return, but she had to do one extra sweep of the area. She, like Kelly, had a handgun on her hip, but that was about it for now. As she walked past several rooms, until she stopped as she saw 4 kids getting out of their room. A blonde with blue eyes, a ginger with light-blue eyes, an Asian boy with black hair and a strand of lilac and a girl with... Scarlet hair and emerald eyes.

"C'mon, guys. We gotta get to class." Noted the blonde, before stopping as he saw Linda standing in the Hallway. He waved, then greeted "Hello." before Linda gave a nod.

"You kids going to class?" She asked and once she received a nod, she went on to offer "I'll take you there." before taking off her helmet and clipping it to her belt... The four seemed surprised, especially the scarlet-haired girl. Linda was a girl with a similar shade of red as her hair color and to a point, almost resembled the emerald-eyed Huntress-in-Training. She extended her hand, trying to break the ice, as she said "I'm Linda. Petty Officer."

"... Jaune Arc. Student here." The blonde said, shaking her hand and looking between her and his teammate...

The ginger-haired one grinned, then shook her hand and spoke jovially "Nora Valkyrie. Leg-Breaker extraordinaire!"

The scarlet-haired girl then walked up to her and warily shook her hand "Pyrrha Nikos... Huntress-in-training."

"Lie Ren." The young asian boy bowed. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Petty Officer Linda."

"We're team JNPR." Jaune said. "Uhm, say, you look a lot like Pyr. Are you two related by any chance?" He quipped.

Linda looked to Pyrrha and shrugged "I don't believe so."

"It's highly unlikely... Though I must admit, we do look quite alike." Pyrrha noted, smiling. Linda gave a nod, then offered they move ahead and she'd follow... As the group walked toward the class, she could hear whispers from the group. Between Nora, Ren and Jaune, at least. Pyrrha, meanwhile, sat beside her, looking her from head to toe... The Spartan girl was about a forehead or so above Pyrrha in full armor... Yet something was amiss. The two did match each-other.

"So... What do you do, miss Linda?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm a soldier. Like C... Dylan. Like Dylan." She noted "Part of his team."

"Oh, so you and the guy Ruby has told us about are teammates." Jaune spoke, looking back "Guy sitting at a table with Team Jade, right?" And he got a nod. As they walked, Jaune wanted to ask who and what they were, what they were doing in Beacon and all that, since they weren't first years he'd seen before, but by the time he would've gotten to that, Pyrrha had already asked, much more politely...

"So you, Dylan and your team are soldiers?"

"Yes. Special Forces." Linda answered calmly. "The last of our kind."

"I'm sorry... What happened to the others?" Pyrrha raised a brow as the rest of team JNPR turned, surprised and curious...

"All are MIA... We never found bodies, so we can only hope." Linda spoke solemnly. She knew better than to tell them what happened to their comrades, or about ONI's Directive 930. You don't just tell a bunch of children in training about the possible way they would end up... And she knew headmaster Ozpin wouldn't want them to know either. Chief had formed that cover story for them to have what to hide behind... A lie, but for the betterment of everyone they knew, met and spoke to. Not that it was any easier for Linda to lie about her allegiance than it was to John.

"... Bummer..." Nora murmured, seemingly sad.

"Our condolences, Petty Officer." Ren told her.

"Jeez... We're sorry, Linda." Jaune sighed. "Must be tough."

"Indeed..." Pyrrha hummed

"Thanks, but you don't need to worry. We signed up for it." Linda offered her answer, calmly. "We entered a war. It was only natural something like this would happen. But we would do it all over again if it meant saving our people." She then said, sternly, shocking team JNPR... Nora grinned, then gave her a light nudge on the shoulder and turned back as they walked.

"You seem brave, Linda." Pyrrha spoke.

"I call it survival instinct, Pyrrha... Bravery is something else." Linda answered her redheaded counterpart. She looked ahead and saw as they took a right, taking a mental note to find and talk to Pyrrha later. She spoke calmly "Classes are close. I would suppose you know where they are, so I will probably return to my dorm room. Good luck and I'll see you guys around."

"See you." The four of them waved...

... _Meanwhile, in the Forever Falls_ , Cal-141 and Daisy-023 were having their leisurely stroll through Grimm County. The two blonde Spartans had been marching for a good half of a day or so, judging by the sun's patterns. The scarlet leafs of the trees fell across the dirt floor, where even the grass was seemingly scarlet. Cal gazed at the scenery, including the high-rising mountains and cliffs, while Daisy tried to find any sign of civilization.

"Hey, Cal?" Daisy asked, trudging through a little muddy pool...

"Yes, Daisy?" Cal returned as she simply strolled through the grass, looking around on the ground for something to occupy her time for when they had to camp. She looked to her friend as she started to sink into the muddy pool, which seemed deeper than originally anticipated... Cal chuckled as she saw her friend sunk almost above the knees. She grabbed the wobbling Daisy by an arm and yanked her out of the mud which now dirtied her greaves and boots.

"Well, thank god for the catsuit underneath..." Daisy muttered. "That could've gone very bad... I will still need to scrub this damn mud off."

"That, you will." Cal hummed. "C'mon." she then waved her friend forward. Strolling through the shrubbery with no Grimm visible nearby, not even on their Motion Trackers, the two Spartans found themselves safe for the moment. As the sun set, Cal went about gathering sticks and a set of stones to make into a ring for their fire. Daisy sat herself down beside their Camp spot as her friend returned with the sticks and set them up.

Sitting down too, Cal took out a matchbox that came with their kit and casually asked "So... How'd you die?" to which Daisy's eyes widened. The red-armored girl took her helmet off her head and stared with disbelief at her comrade as she lit a match, then threw it into the fire. Embers rose and heat started to form. By the time Cal had taken her helmet off her head and asked "What?" the fire was already burning.

"Did you seriously ask me how I _died_? Cal, how'd you know I died?" She then snapped, not with anger, but rather with shock.

"Daisy... How do you think _I_ got here? I got killed during an op." Cal spoke calmly as she took out her MRE and placed it on the floor... She stared at her friend, who had short, blonde hair and deep blue eyes filled with sorrow and surprise, but hidden behind a mask of indifference about their current predicament... Meanwhile, Daisy stared right back at a pair of beautiful amber eyes, belonging to the pale girl with long locks of platinum hair ahead of her. "So? Gonna answer?"

"..." Daisy took a moment, then sighed and said "Needler rounds to my chest. Got nailed while evacuating with a bunch of Marines from Harvest... Saw Ralph aboard the Pelican just before it blew and I went on and died..." And she placed a hand right where she'd been shot, wincing as she felt a phantom sting. "You?" She then motioned to Cal, who shook her head and answered with a soft voice "A Gravity hammer right into my head... The helmet kept me safe enough for me to be able to blurt out an order to an ODST sniper... But I died a while after."

"Jeez..." Daisy chuckled darkly. "Rough... I'm guessing you and your ODST pals were out to kill an HVT?"

"A prophet commanding the chain of supply for an entire sector..." Cal noted, sighing deeply. "Harvest, huh? Man, it feels like forever ago that we dropped onto Harvest to fight. Now, it's just some dead rock hurdling through space. Hope our sacrifices at least amounted to something in the grander scheme of things... And that the UNSC didn't get too curbstomped..."

"Guess we'll just have to find out... If there's any UNSC troops nearby." Daisy offered. She chuckled, then said "Or if there's anyone human nearby... But we'll be fine, eh? We're Spartans." and she hummed an old battle song she recalled from Earth's antiquity. The Battle Cry of Freedom... Cal snorted, then burst into a short laugh as she said "Ah, you and your old war songs."

Chuckling, Daisy could only smile. She asked "Who's keepin' watch? One of us has to take a nap."

"I'm keeping my eyes open for an hour." Cal answered. "Rest. I'll wake ya when I need ya."

"Got it... G'night." Daisy said and she lay herself down, but before shutting her eyes, she said "Hey, Cal?"

"Hmm?" The blonde said, sliding her helmet on her head.

"I'm happy to see ya. Actually missed our lil' chats..." The blonde noted, before dozing off... Cal chuckled as she heard her teammate start to snore, somehow, then muttered as she took first watch "I'm happy to see you too, Daze. And I missed you too." before starting her sentinel mode. Darkness overtook the Forever Falls as the fire crackled on in the night, warming the Spartans' little spot...


	9. Forever Falls Part 2:Olly Olly Oxen Free

**_AN:Okay, so the pacing may be a bit all over the place in this Chapter, but I blame school._**

* * *

John, AKA Dylan, sat in History class. Beside him, miss Blake Belladonna. He could follow the History teacher, a man with scruffy emerald hair, messy clothing and spectacles blurred by fog as he sipped his coffee and explained most of Remnant's history, whilst also writing in synch with him. Blake stared disbelievingly at the Chief's fast-moving hand as it wrote down everything the teacher explained. The girl saw his bicep bulge and hand strain too, but not nearly as much as hers had.

Yet he still kept up without even wincing... Meanwhile, her team was all but gone. Ruby had been rubbing her hand for the past five minutes, Yang was struggling to write and sweating profusely and even Weiss seemed to be in trouble, feeling her hand every so often. As the bell rang, the Spartan stood up and looked to Blake, before nodding and asking "You okay?" as she felt her own wrist.

"... Yes... How do you survive writing that fast?" Blake asked.

"Practice." Shrugged the man. "You wouldn't believe what military life does to your attention span." and the fact that he was trained to listen to superiors talking without questioning. His augmentations also helped in the speed of his writing, but that was something Blake and, by extension, the rest of Remnant didn't need to know yet. He'd rather tell them and Ozpin when there was a more opportune time.

"I don't want to practice that." Blake noted in murmur. "Well, we'll head to the dorms. Good day, Dylan."

"To you as well, Blake." The man nodded. He looked back to his team as they walked to him, then said to them "You girls go ahead to lunch. I'll catch up in a bit... I have to go check something in the room." to which Jack raised a brow. Dylan seemed to stare quite calmly, as if he didn't ask anything that's odd. And he actually didn't. He just wanted to go verify that their room was safe, probably... Oz told her about the Soldier life this boy led, as did his teammates, Kelly and Linda. She shrugged.

"Sure thing, Dylan." The blonde De-Jure team leader noted, smiling "Just be sure not to forget to eat."

"I won't." He stated simply, before bidding goodbye to them. Evelyn raised a brow, then chuckled and said "Man, he's weird."

"Have you looked at us, Carrots?" Jack glared.

"Hey, I'm just saying. I like weird." Evelyn quipped. "And I know Penny does too, since she found him."

"I do not find him weird, really." Penny shrugged, blushing and smiling. "Quite the opposite." She then stated. Evelyn and Jack both burst into short giggles as they watched the Spartan turn toward the dorms... He strolled into the room, closed the door behind him, looked over his surroundings and tapped the Scroll to open it, before Cortana appeared on screen.

"What've you got for me on the new SOS contacts. Did they attempt to call?" He asked, wary of it being a trap. Cortana shook her head, then brought up the MIA List... Which surprised John, even though he didn't show it. Two names and tags were highlighted on it... Daisy-023 and Cal-141. He remembered both girls from basic, but hadn't much interacted with them since they were pulled for the Harvest missions rather early. And Cal had been away as a Lone Wolf on operations for ONI, more so than other Spartans. The tags shown on the armor SOS beacons were theirs...

... But the problem was they both went 'MIA' almost 30 years ago.

"... What?" Chief simply uttered out.

"I know..." Cortana answered, just as surprised as him. "I've run and rerun the tests a thousand times while you were away in class, John. Their ID-Tags match. It's them... And I cannot wrap my head around what the hell this means." She confessed, looking warily over the strands of data parsing her palms. Something was wrong here and John knew to ask, but he'd let her process it for now.

"How much longer until they get in range of a CCTS tower? Or close to Vale?" He asked. "If it's them, we need to be ready."

"About 2 or 3 days since they're going straight for Vale and may find the Forever Falls Railroad... I think they're on foot, Chief. And they're trying to keep away from using Radios." Cortana spoke. "If we meet them in Vale, it'll be easier to clarify what is going on." She observed, pulling up a map showing the start of their SOS signals and how far they'd traveled. Not much, so they'd arrive like Linda and Kelly did. He'd have to call a meeting on this later, but right now he needed to get to lunch...

As he sat at the table, he stared simply at his food, running his fork through it as the thought of the two Spartans that had died ran through his mind. Kelly and Linda had noticed this and decided to keep the girls busy by regaling them with false tales of the Spartans' bravery against traitors from Wyvern, mostly stories spun from actual missions that had them engaging against Insurgent forces on other planets.

He still felt that pit in his stomach and even Kelly and Linda seemed uneasy as they lied to the rest of JPDE. But for now, as he'd said to himself before, keep the truth out of reach of Beacon students and you'd be fine. All the questions that would arise from simply being present in so many world-ending operations would be an annoyance, plus nobody would trust them for a while. It was a pretty big facade to put up, but it was for the betterment of the operations here.

When the time would come... All when the time would come.

"Are you well, Dylan?" Penny asked from beside him.

"I am okay, Penny." He confirmed, giving her a nod. Crap, she must've noticed him just playing with his food instead of eating it.

"Are you certain? Your food has cooled by approximately 13.5% since you last took a bite out of it." The young girl stated... The Chief pursed his lips, a look of concern on his face.

"Uh... Penny? Dare I ask, how did you know that?" The Spartan quipped and Penny froze, before awkwardly chuckling, blushing and gazing side to side. She weakly said "I... Just figured it out." Before hiccuping. The Spartan sighed, then shrugged and nodded. That got him out of his bad mood at least, as he started eating the eggs. He gave a nod and a half smile to Penny, who breathed a sigh of relief, then returned to her cheerful demeanor.

" _Seems Penny is quite perceptive."_ Cortana noted with a chuckle.

"Mhm." Chief quietly hummed his answer, before looking to Jack as she and Evelyn started pulling hairs... Figuratively, thankfully enough, before asking "What's the deal with you two again?" and seeing both of them turn from giving angry glares to him, raising brows and shaking their heads. He sighed, then noted "We need to solve this little issue of yours."

"It's not a problem." Evelyn noted.

"I agree with Carrots on this one. We're fine. Just friendly banter." Jack noted, grinning in annoyance.

Chief eyed both of them suspiciously, then said "If this friction causes issues during missions, you're gonna be cleaning the toilet for a good month. Both of you." He warned them... And both cringed. He continued eating his food, while Cortana continued giving him details about Daisy and Cal through his com. Both Kelly and Linda knew of the com devices and had their own. And they seemed unable to believe what they were hearing either, every so often shooting a glance to John.

He gave them a glance back in response, simply confirming it with a slight nod. Whatever the odds were that Daisy and Cal were still alive, the Chief would want to know for sure. Cortana would too... And Kelly and Linda as well. Two more Spartans to add to the teams would be an even bigger morale boost for those three already present within the school grounds.

 ** _Forever Falls. Day 2 of Daisy and Cal's trip._**

"Caaaaaaaaaaaal..." Daisy whined.

"What?" Cal asked.

"How much furtheheheer." The girl begged...

"I dunno... A few feet less than when you last asked?" Cal answered in a snarky deadpan as they stepped through the shrubbery. She forgot how easily bored Daisy got... Bored... Not hurt, or sick, or even tired. Just bored. And Cal was starting to feel it too. Whatever those creatures were, they backed away the moment they saw almost three dozen of their friends murdered.

So, that left the Spartans doing a basic trek through the forestry... "Caaaaaaaaaal~."

"What?" Sighed the woman.

"Why can't we just use the Radio?" Daisy asked...

"Because Covenant could be tracking it. Remember? They did that a couple times." Cal noted calmly. "If there's a fleet above us, or if this is one of their homeworlds, I don't want the bastards bearing down on us." She then explained. Daisy hummed, then nodded as they continued their trek. And finally, something stood out among the treeline. A pillar of black concrete and metal. Cal froze... And they heard the horn of a train in the distance.

A raised bridge for a railway... Probably headed up to a local city. The two Spartans exchanged glances and both grinned behind their helmets, then surged forth and climbed a ladder at the side of the pillar, to see the bridge itself stretching across the middle of the forests and hills and mountains. As they climbed onto the top, the bridge showed itself... Two rails, both emerging from a massive tunnel on the right.

And farther on the left, they saw a train rolling toward them. It was moving in, its locomotive bearing a light at the front and a strange crest. A scarlet puma's head with claw marks behind it... As it got closer, the Spartans dashed toward it too, running alongside the tracks. Without even having to word it to each-other, they jumped aboard the train using their strength-enhancing armors, landing on the roof of one of the train cars.

"Well... That was easy." Daisy chirped happily.

"Don't... Don't invoke Murphy, please." Cal murmured, before she kicked in the hatch of the train car's roof and jumped inside. Daisy followed her in... And they were greeted by people wearing uniforms with masks similar to those creatures outside, each hauling a weapon. Swords, knives, pistols and what seemed to be rifles. Cal sighed deeply, then said "... Mad Murph, Daisy, come on."

"Sorry." Daisy muttered, taking a combat stance as the bastards raised rifles.

"Fellas..." Cal said, trying to calm the situation down. "Can we talk about this?"

Safeties clicked off... And Cal scowled. "Oh, fine... Have it your way." before taking a combat stance and going back to back with Daisy, who drew her knife. Cal also took her knife out and spun it to have the edge facing down. She grinned, then raised a single digit. That sent the bastards into a frenzy. Bullets pinged off the Spartans' Armors without even doing minor damage. Rounds sparked, armors clicked and clanked... And then the gunfire ceased... The strange militiamen went wide-eyed at the girls, lowering their weapons...

"Our turn." The girls said...

Both launched themselves at their enemies. Cal grabbed one by the throat, snapping his neck and tossing the corpse aside, before stabbing a second in the mouth, sliced a third's throat open and spun the knife around, before eviscerating a guy with another slice from her knife. Daisy had gutted three men so far, pummeling a fourth by kicking his teeth in with her armored boot.

The two girls' fists met when they punched the same man in the face from two different sides, effectively squashing his head together into a nice, pulpy mess of bone, brain matter and whatever organs were in the head. The corpse fell to the floor as the Spartans turned their anger toward another group of soldiers. Bones broke, necks snapped, masks fell and guns were torn away from their users and broken. Daisy grabbed one's hand, snapped it and aimed his pistol and fired with it, killing two of his comrades, before stabbing him in the throat and taking his pistol.

Cal disarmed a man with a sword, stabbed him in the chest with it, before slicing clean across another man's stomach. She kicked a third down, stabbed the sword into his forehead and took his Assault Rifle, before shouldering the strange weapon and firing. A short burst gutted another man and another wounded a taller one... What Cal had observed is that they all had animal ears or diverse traits of animals...

She lit up one who had scaly skin, emptying the magazine into him, grabbing the belt of ammo off another man, slamming a fresh clip into the bullpup weapon and kicking another's teeth in, before snapping off a headshot that splattered brain matter onto the boxes in the cart. By the time the two Spartans, now armed with the strange weapons, were done, the car was littered with corpses of the demihumans here.

"Think they're aliens?" Daisy asked, nudging one of the dead ones with her foot... He had bunny ears.

"They look too human... Failed supersoldier experiments?" Cal suggested. "Still, they go down easy."

Daisy pushed one of the corpses over onto its stomach and said "Doesn't everything we face, outside the Covenant?" as she walked toward the front of the car and locked the door. Cal nodded and locked the other door of the car after dragging a corpse inside and tossing it to the side with the others. After they'd set up the corpses in a pile, they sat down in another corner... Cal pulled off a box from the shelves and propped it open... It had 3 crystals inside, one blue, one brown and one black...

"Huh... Think they're thieves." Cal hummed.

"Yeah... Probably..." Daisy said as she took a crystal and looked over it... Crystals of ice moved inside it and she saw it stir and felt it tremble in her hand, before saying "This ain't a jewel though. Whatever they stole, it feels powerful." and placing it back in its box with the others. Cal nodded, then set it aside and raised a brow... She felt an itching on the top of her head and said "Ugh... Gotta get this damn helmet off." before propping it to the side and removing it...

Daisy had taken her helmet off before her... But pursed her lips and went wide-eyed as she asked "... Cal...?"

"Yes, Daisy?" The girl asked, scratching the top of her head.

"... Why have we not seen this before? Also... why do you have wolf ears?!" The girl squealed in delight, her pursed lips taking the form of a smile as she giggled... Cal froze as she too felt the extra appendages twitch in front of her hand. She wrapped her fingers around the ears gently, feeling their insides... And she twitched and blushed, whimpering...

"What the fuck happened!?" She barked, pressing the ears against her head "A-a-and why didn't I feel these when I took my helmet off last night?!"

"Awmygod you're soooo cuuuuuute~!" Daisy smiled, patting her friend on the head. She winced, turning pale as she got punched in the stomach by a blushing Cal. She doubled over and fell onto her belly as Cal held her ears down and gritted her teeth. Whatever the fuck happened, someone was gonna die for this shit joke! God dammit, what the hell caused two ears to spurt at the top of her head!?

"I'm gonna kill you if you did this, Daisy..." She glared daggers at her teammate.

"Chill, I didn't do shit!" The girl groaned, feeling her belly "Jesus, Cal, I forgot how strong you were..." and she found Cal pulling her by the collar toward her. Cal glared, her ears and left eyelid twitching and a vein popping on the side of her head. Daisy raised her hands in defense and said "Think of it this way, how and why, pray tell, would I do that? It'd be too much effort and you'd feel it. They're real, aren't they?"

"Yes..." Growled Cal... She sighed, then shook her head and let her friend go, before saying "Sorry... So, you wanna try the radio thing? If we found these guys..." She pointed at the pile of corpses "on this planet, I doubt we got Covenant here... I wouldn't take the risk, but we may as well warn anybody else we're gonna be here. And, if some of that guy, John's luck spread to us, we're gonna find allies."

"I'll get right on that. You take a nap and figure out what the hell is going on. Also, probably best if we keep the UNSC name out of the transmission... How about Olly Olly Oxenfree? John and BLUE team used it for all Spartans, so if there's at least Spartans around, they can tag us by that. Our IFFs are already showing on our Maydays, but if we Olly Olly Oxenfree it, we may get a response..."

"Good plan, Daze." Smirked Cal, playing with one of her ears. "This is really weird..."

"Yep. And cute, still." Daisy mocked, then dodged a blunted sword being thrown at her and laughed. She put her helmet back on, stood up and activated the transmission system and whistled the six-note tune oh-so familiar to the Spartans... Cal hummed it alongside her with a smile, bobbing her head, her ears happily twitching... She felt irked by them, but considering they weren't a bother in the helmet and... She could swear she heard better... She would let them slide for now.


	10. Forever Falls Part 3:Homebound

**_AN:Sorry this is so short. It's meant to be the prelude to Daisy and Cal arriving, so don't worry too much. I'll be keeping my usual chapter size later on._**

* * *

As the doors were being hit by either bullets or the fists of other bastards, Cal sighed deeply, leaning her head back and rubbing her eyes. The soldier girl looked at the corpses to the side and then checked the rifle she'd retrieved from one of the dead ones, as well as the ammo for it, before feeling for her own, empty AR on her back. She nodded, then saw Daisy drop back in from the top hatch, grinning. She slid her helmet on her head, then wordlessly helped her friend up off her ass. She racked the bolt of her rifle, then said "We're about to stop at a seemingly abandoned depot in this massive city. I used the polarization function of my helmet and zoomed in a bit. It's full of the assholes of the group the ones we killed in here were part of."

"I see." Cal nodded, readying her rifle "So... We kill'em all?"

Daisy nodded with a wild grin, readying a pair of swords she retrieved for the Corpses, which to her were basically rather large knives. Her two rifles and a handgun were holstered, the former on her back and the latter on her thigh, as they readied to get out. They took positions side to side and readied their weapons when the train began to slow... And the grinding gears screeched against the rails...

The girls felt the deceleration hit and balanced themselves out as it stopped. The doors of the cart slid open and the first soldier gasped... Climbing inside, a young woman with deer antlers on her head was stiff, tears rolling down her cheeks as she saw the piled-up corpses in the corner... Cal and Daisy nodded and the girl between them wept no more as the red-wearing blonde cut across the girl's chest in a cross, before kicking the corpse out of the wagon before it even fell to the ground. Call popped up and opened fire with her assault rifle. Soldiers found themselves in need to dodge the bullets, diving behind the cover of armored vehicles, transport aircraft and sandbags in the depot building itself.

Several fell before they got into cover. Others were wounded. A grenade flew from the belt of Daisy and exploded behind the cover of a pair of enemy troopers, who got sent flying. Then, Daisy surged forth under Cal's covering fire, jumping over cover, spinning and severing the heads of two other soldiers, before she landed on top of a third, crushing the ribcage with her boot. She stabbed another through the chest and threw the corpse off the sword into a group of its allies, throwing off their aim as she decapitated each and every one of them with perfect slashes.

Cal charged forward too, stepping over cover and emptying magazines in groups of Fang troops who tried to engage them with heavier armament. Bullets pinged off her armor as she saw a group of riflemen that was able to form up. Daisy was also taking fire from a sniper on a nearby catwalk. The girl didn't hesitate to holster her sword, then draw her handgun and snap off two shots that sent the sharpshooter tumbling over the catwalk.

A Feedback Loop played into Cal's com device and she gritted her teeth, then said "I think they're either jamming us or calling for backup!"

"Eitherway, no time to hide in here." Daisy returned. The girl's Motion Tracker lit up as a squadron of about 20 more troopers poured into the main warehouse, rifles raised and ready. They opened up, emptying magazines as the Spartans dashed, dodged, bobbed, weaved, shot and stabbed through them. Daisy caught four with clean cuts from her blades, threw one of the swords, pinning a fifth on a wall and left the second sword with a taller, more burly bastard, specifically lodged in his throat, the full face mask broken as the corpse collapsed.

She then drew her handgun and joined Cal in snapping back shots at the enemy, while she also kicked and punched. Six more fell within the span of seconds. Others tried to retreat, reform and regroup. Eight remaining... Cal dumped a magazine, five remaining... Daisy's pistol thundered and that made three remaining... The Spartans backed them into a corner, weapons aimed at them, then Cal asked "Why'd your friends aboard the train shoot at us, boys?"

"... What?" One of the soldiers noted, surprised.

"You heard her, asshole. Why did your buds aboard the train light us up? This could've gone on without bloodshed and we gave the guys a chance, but hell if they'd listen" Daisy explained, cocking back the handgun's hammer. One of them planted a palm on her face and shook her head, before saying "Those guys best be thankful they're dead..." and going for her own handgun... Daisy was faster on the draw.

As their friend dropped dead, the two remaining ones fell to their knees, shocked by the speed of the Spartan, and raised their hands... Before one of the grinned as an engine revved in the background... Cal rolled her eyes, then showed Daisy to go ahead and... Deal with... She slowly turned... Both saw a burly man, clad in a sleeveless uniform, with a full-face mask and carrying a power tool in the form of a weapon.

"Aw, fu-" Daisy spoke, before the bastard charged her, raising the power drill turned weapon to attack her. The Spartan dodged several strikes, before kicking away the weapon, jumping onto it and stabbing into the Lieutenant... Only to find her knife almost dulled by some invisible forcefield... The man threw a backhand which Daisy caught in her own hand, before twisting the arm as Cal joined in to suppress the man.

Cal was quick to disarm the man, before grabbing his other arm and snapping it at the elbow, before kicking him in the face with enough strength for his mask to crack and whatever forcefield was over him to dissipate in a flash of black. The man shook his head, then gasped as he saw a fist cocked back... And Cal and Daisy knocked his ass out with lighter punches.

"Think we gotta let him to the cops?" Daisy asked, standing up.

"Why ya ask?" Cal returned.

"I mean... These guys seem like terrorists, not local militia. Police?" Daisy offered.

"Why not...?" Cal shrugged, then the two turned toward the doors. Daisy took out a demo charge she had on her belt, placed it on one of what seemed to be the fuel dumps, then noticed Cal staring at her. She shrugged to her friend, who planted a palm on her visor as they walked toward the exit. As they left the warehouse and closed the door behind them, the girls found themselves amid massive markets, stores and tall commercial buildings made of glass, stone and concrete. Night was falling and crystalline light fixtures began to illuminate the street blue...

"... Guess we're going around the back alleys for now. Gotta find our way to somewhere hidden." Cal spoke calmly. Daisy nodded in agreement and the two moved toward one of the dark alleys off the beaten path, so to speak... The young Spartans strolled through the city's back alleys for a good amount of time... And would stroll until tomorrow morning, at least...

 ** _At Beacon_**

As night fell, John scrambled to his com device. Cortana began playing a song that Chief recognized all too well. Her face appeared on his scroll's screen, grinning as she said "Ladies and Gentleman, we got'em." before displaying the ID Tag and a sound mixer. The song came from Daisy's communication device as the SOS pinged on. Cortana then pulled up a map on the screen and said "They're in Vale... Must've taken a train."

"Where exactly?" Chief asked in whisper as Kelly and Linda joined him.

"Commercial District. About a two hour flight from here. They're in com range, however, if you want to ping them..." Cortana offered, smiling. Kelly and Linda looked at the chief, who nodded to Cortana. She smirked, then said "Linking MJOLNIR Com array to the Scroll and earpieces. Handshake accepted. Your words, John, we got a link with the duet of girls."

"..." John breathed in, then exhaled and prayed... Prayed... For the first time in his life, that these were actually two other Spartans, not some ghosts his Armor made up, then spoke softly "Olly Olly Oxen Free. All in the Free. We're all _free_." and heard a cheer in his earpiece. Daisy was happy, thankfully. Linda and Kelly grinned, then heard the voice of Cal.

" _We hear you loud and clear... That you, Chief_?" Cal's soft, melodious voice came over the earpieces. The male Spartan's answer was a quick and concise "Yes." which allowed another cheer from Daisy, this one louder... And with expletives. The Spartans chuckled as they overheard the voiceovers, before Cal once again spoke _"Thank God... How soon can you come pick us up, Chief?"_

"Come tomorrow. For now it's curfew where I am and it'd be odd for me to leave... I'll explain everything you need to know when we come to pick you girls up tomorrow." John answered calmly. He looked to Kelly and Linda and asked "Tomorrow is Saturday, isn't it?" and got a nod from both girls. He spoke again to Cal and Daisy "Tomorrow, afternoon."

" _Got it_." Cal noted. " _We'll be holding nearby where we are. Just tell us when_."

"I'll ping you, girls." the Chief noted. "Good to have you back."

"... _We're happy to be back, Chief._.." The girl spoke. " _We'll wait for the signal._ _Cal, out."_ And the com line cut. Kelly and Linda high-fived and John actually smiled himself, leaning his head on his hand. Cortana herself was smiling, but also processing the event. Cal and Daisy had been tagged as MIA 30 years ago. Now,they come back to life on a foreign alien planet. Foreign to the UNSC at least. John had been gathering info on it for a while now.

"Can't believe two MIA Spartans are actually back..." Kelly noted, smiling. "And it's two more girls. Ain't that lucky, Chief?"

"I don't see your point, but yes, I'm genuinely glad to know that more of our comrades are coming back." John observed, standing up and staring out at the night sky as the broken moon once more rose over them. "Still, can't help but ask myself how this was possible... 30 years, girls. 30 damn years of them being tagged MIA and they just appear one day on a world we're on..."

"It is kind of weird... But I imagine Cortana's already processing it. This world is sort of infused with Magic, though, so weird things are bound to happen." Linda offered her point of view. "What do you think your teammates are gonna say when they find out two more Spartan gals arrived?" She then asked. Chief shrugged. He knew all too well that this'd mean a big surprise...

"I guess we'll find out come tomorrow morning." Shrugged Kelly.

 ** _But something else was brewing..._**

In Vale, near the agricultural district, a young man, with white hair and amber eyes, was walking about in the dead of night. In his hand, a Scroll, in his vision, a young girl and her mother. He walked toward and stopped them in the way with a "Hello, madam. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a couple of questions." to which the woman, a Faunus, nodded and said "Ask away, young man."

He smiled, then nodded "I was going to ask... Did you, or your daughter, happen to see anything coming down from the sky in the last week? Say something crashing nearby one of the outer CCT Beacons?"

"Oh, that! Yes, I did!" The woman nodded. "And I don't know if you'll believe me, because I know my neighbors didn't, but some big armored fellow, almost Atlas in design, moved into the city, from the direction of the crash site. Went into the Alleyways nearby... And my daughter, the little rascal..." She tugged at the girl's arm, smiling "Said she saw the armored man leave with a ginger-haired girl."

The man kept the smile, but felt his heart sink "Oh, thank you, madam. Have a nice evening."

"You too, young man." The woman waved as the man walked away... He put his Scroll up to his ear, then spoke calmly "Someone came from the Crash Site... Probably had the Flame with him." before pausing, but walking. He continued "Yes, yes, I know... Someone I asked said that our mysterious armored friend was seen with a little ginger-haired girl... I'll deal with it, _Weser._ For now, I'm still gathering intel... I'll report back to you when I've got more concrete info. See you in a week."

He shut off the scroll "Son of a bitch..."


	11. PROLOGUE END:The End of the Beginning

Team JPDE had awoken at midday to Dylan donning his armor, followed by Kells and Linda. Jack, as she stood up from her bed and put on her usual day clothes that she wore outside of school, asked "What's up, Dylan, girls? Something coming our way we should know about?" as she also grabbed the pack containing her weapon. Kelly, Linda and the Chief looked to each-other, then to Jack.

"A couple of our friends just popped up in Vale. Got a signal and this time we're going in to recover them." Kelly explained, holding close the sword she'd recovered.

"Oh, wow. Well, thanks for telling us! We never got to tag along when he found you two." Evelyn smirked, readying her batons. "Guess we make up for that mistake now!" It was about noon, so lunchtime. The bunny gal then noted "And we can eat lunch in town!" to which the Spartans all looked to each-other and Cortana chuckled. It was true, they needed backup in case of everything, but... Right now, he wasn't so sure the girls would not reveal the UNSC.

The Chief nodded as they walked out of the Room, then switched off his external helmet microphones and spoke quietly "The moment we reach the girls, I want you to brief'em, Cortana. Tell'em what to say and what not to say." to which he received a hum from Cortana. She agreed... As they walked out of the Dorms to the Bullhead landing, Chief held close his weapon, while Kelly and Linda donned their patrol weapons. Simple Handguns...

Climbing aboard the Bullhead, Penny was the first to ask "So, Dylan. Who are these teammates of yours?"

"Their names are Cal and Daisy." Linda said, leaning forward. "A good scout and a damn fine melee fighter. Daisy has a thing for CQC that I've not seen in many Spartans. Hell, Kelly and Daisy used to train together in hand-to-hand and knife combat." and all gazes turned to Kelly, who gave a thumbs up, arranging her helmet and sword and readying her handgun.

"That's cool." Jack smirked "I wonder if Daisy will want a spar."

"I believe there's a high chance of that, Jack." Penny offered, smiling. "What about Cal? He sounds interesting."

" _She_ is a scout, as I stated. Served as my spotter once during a combat mission and she called out targets, windage and distance so accurately I was questioning her later if she had a range finder installed in her brain." Linda then said, with the girls raising brows and turning to John/Dylan, who was loading magnetic slugs into his magazine, these ones fitted with lightning dust mini-crystals inside.

He turned to them and saw Evelyn staring at him with perverted intrigue, Jack with a grin and Penny with a hint of surprise... He shrugged and asked "What?" so nonchalantly, Evelyn planted a palm on her forehead and laughed. Jack rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. And Penny still sat there, surprise evident in her wide, emerald eyes... Kelly and Linda gazed at each-other, confused...

"Dude... Your entire squad female?" Jack asked.

"No." The soldier returned.

"Then what's with all the women?" Evelyn quipped. John shrugged and turned back to his weapon, making Evelyn sigh in annoyance. She chuckled, then shook her head... The bird swung by overhead of their landing spot in the Commercial District and the soldiers and Huntresses quickly disembarked, keeping their weapons close in case of any threat. As they strolled through the streets, they started feeling unease.

Stepping into the alleyways of the district, where small-time vendors would usually reside, they found them rather desolate, empty, devoid of any sign of life save for trash and small critters like rats. That was until they turned a corner and took pause as they saw a tide of blood stemming from... A squadron of White Fang soldiers turned into corpses, bearing cut marks and bullet wounds from Dust-infused rounds...

Standing, one of them leaning against a wall and twirling a big fuck-off knife in between her fingers and wearing a red armor, the other wearing a set of emerald. Red let the knife balance on the tip of her index finger as she cocked her head to the left. And she took off her helmet, letting the knife fall into her hand, then quickly sheathing it. The blonde, blue-eyed beauty grinned as she saw Chief, Kelly and Linda, then said "Well, hello, ladies and gentleman."

"... Can't believe it's you guys." Cal noted, smiling as she too removed her helmet.

"By the Twin Gods, Dylan... These chicks are hot!" Evelyn grinned. "I mean, not like Kells and Lin aren't hot too, but c'mon! Look at this! Dylan, what kinda Harem are you running?!"

Cal chuckled and Daisy burst into laughter... And Evelyn then froze as she saw the twitching wolf ears and called out "Ohmygawd you're a wolf Faunus!" with a wide smile. Cal raised a brow, then looked to Daisy, who shrugged and nodded. Kelly and Linda also removed their helmets and looked at the corpses around, brows raised, then noticed the weapons the girls brandished.

"You gals took on these White Fang members?" Kelly asked.

"Yup... That's what they're called, huh?" Daisy smirked.

"Yeah." Linda nodded. "It's nice to see you both." Then she made a hand signal to her ear and a quick spell of the name Cortana with her mouth, enough so that JPDE didn't catch it... Well, most of them didn't. Daisy and Cal both nodded, grinning, then Linda added "Well, c'mon. We've got a bird waiting for us to head back to Beacon... Dylan, I and Kells will go talk to the Headmaster about inducting the girls. Do you mind heading right back to the dorm?"

"Not at all." The Chief noted. Cal and Daisy exchanged glances, then nodded to each-other and slid their helmets back on their heads. Kelly and Linda followed suit and they soon heard Cortana talk "... _So I didn't get a chance to introduce myself, ladies. Aside from my name, you must know that I'm Chief's personal AI assistant and hacker extraordinaire. Seriously, pit me against any security system and I'll break it."_

"Thanks for reminding me... Cortana, the CCTS tower you hacked." The Chief asked, once again restricting his voice to his helmet alone. He heard Cortana hum, then asked "Did you let us get found on purpose? You don't usually slip up like that." and he saw Cortana flash onto his HUD, grinning and crossing her arms. The Spartan gave a half-mouthed grin as a response and said "I figured you would've."

 _"Had to get found, Chief. Figured we'd have been seen as threats anyway, so why not?"_ She shrugged.

"Could've saved us the trouble of challenging Ms. Goodwitch." He offered.

" _You're no fun, John. Live a little, you gained your childhood back after all... I still am processing how the hell that happened, by the way."_

"Hmm." Chief nodded, arranging his ammunition within his armor's pockets. He looked back, to see Penny staring suspiciously at Linda and them. She was hiding it pretty well, but John could tell, even with the girl's smile, she was curious. Must've caught Linda speaking in a whisper to Daisy and Cal about Cortana. He looked forward as they arrived at the Bullhead. The flight back was filled with chatter, that he tried to ignore as he scanned the skyline of Vale...

 ** _Back within Vale..._**

The white-haired boy had exited a store... He had a badge on his chest, reading the name _Howard_ in black letters. He dusted his clothes off, then said to himself "Man, impersonating a cop is fun..." before looking to and stopping a woman and her daughter and asking "'Scuse me, ma'am. Did you see anyone running through here about a week ago? Clad in heavy armor and dashing through the streets."

"Oh, yes, officer." The woman smiled. "I did see the person you're describing."

Score...

"He was with a young, ginger girl. They faced off against a woman with blonde hair from Beacon, if I recall... She tried to grab the man."

NOT SCORE.

"... You mean Glynda Goodwitch, right hand woman of Headmaster Ozpin? And how'd that go?" Howard then inquired. The woman shrugged and answered "They left calmly on a Bullhead without further altercation."

"Alrght... Thanks ma'am..." Howard said, before walking off and swearing to himself several times... If Ozpin had gotten to the Flame first, it'd be quite heavily defended at this point. That meant he'd need the others to have a chance at getting to it... God dammit... God fucking dammit, why did he have to bring _her_ into this? He could've easily done this without issue...

 _ **Beacon. Team JPDE's dorm... Later that day.**_

"Hell. No." Evelyn's voice resounded, clear-cut and powerful.

"Carrots, I swear, get the hell out of my way before I tie your furry ears together and slam you through that door!" Jack returned with anger. Chief rubbed his eyes, then sighed as he heard Jack say "I just want to make Dylan and his teammates some food for when they come back! So move your ass!" to which Evelyn further extended her physical block against the door.

"No... I ain't gonna let you poison Dylan or his friends." Evelyn growled.

"ALRIGHT!" Chief called out, standing up and looking at them as he set the last piece of his armor on the stand. He walked toward the door and stepped between them, then said "Are you actually blocking physical access to the kitchen from Jack?" crossing his arms as he stared at Evelyn, who nodded vehemently and pointed at him, before answering "For your own safety, trust me!"

"... Wow, I need to be safe from food." Chief deadpanned, making Jack snort. He looked to Penny, who was happily brushing her hair, then asked "What's your take on this, Penny?"

Penny looked to Chief, then stood up from her bed and walked up to them, before saying "To be quite honest, Dylan, I believe the best way to solve this would be through a taste test." to which the Chief took a moment. That could actually solve this food issue once and for all. And he'd finally not have to hear them argue over this damn food thing for the rest of the school year.

"Capital idea, Penny." The Spartan nodded.

"... Alright then. Pancakes. Two plates, one from me, one from Evelyn. We'll see who's a better cook right now." Jack snarled.

"You're right the fuck on." Evelyn returned, grinning.

"Oh, and I and Dylan can be judges!" Penny happily suggested. The Chief flinched and shook his head, but before he got another word in, the two girls had already dashed into the kitchen to work... An hour or so passed and the noises coming from the kitchen somewhat worried the Chief. What pancakes, even Remnant ones, would make such sounds while being cooked?

On the inside, however... As they mixed...

"Hey, watch out!" Evelyn snapped.

"You watch out!" Jack returned.

"You're making a damn mess..." Evelyn said, then got elbowed in the face by Jack... By mistake, might we add... And she growled, feeling her nose, then snapped "YOU... YOU OAF ON STILTS!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME, CARROT BOOBS?!"

... Chief was afraid of the cleanup more than anything. He shook his head... Anyways, the blunder had ended, with the girls knocking at the door... Evelyn spoke "Uh... Penny, Dylan? We're... Kinda done, but we need to change. Would you mind waiting in the balcony?" to which the Spartan and Atlesian looked at each-other and nodded. They opened the door, sitting out on the balcony... After the girls had changed, the duo saw that the events produced a pair of identical plates of pancakes, with syrup and whipped cream as well as two glasses of milk. The Kitchen, from the single glance Chief had gotten, was totaled.

"... Well, they look normal." Chief offered.

"Yup... Now, shall we begin?" Penny chirped, grabbing her fork and knife... The Chief sat down too, grabbing his utensils. He checked his scroll, then looked to Penny, who nodded and said "Let's go." before the two cut pieces from their respective pancake stacks and ate them... Oh, thank the maker, John found the pancakes to be actually normal, quite tasty even... He'd not eaten these since... Since Eridanus. He sighed, then gave a nod as he saw Penny not react in any bad way to the other stack. Thank goodness, Evelyn was wrong.

Jack smirked, then said "See, told you!" to which Evelyn raised a brow...

As the Chief and Penny switched plates, the Spartan also used the glass of milk to clear the taste of pancakes still lingering in his mouth. He then looked at the other plate expectantly, cutting a piece, putting it in his mouth... And freezing. His training helped in keeping the food in his mouth. This wasn't a normal pancake. The texture, parts of the taste, they were still there... But it was as if it was overfilled with an overpowering, vile taste. The Chief pushed the tainted food behind his tastebuds and swallowed... He shook his head and dunked three gulps of milk down his throat.

As Penny and the Spartan stood up and dusted themselves off... Jack said proudly "Told you there was nothing wrong with my cooking! It's great!"

Sorry, Partner... It really wasn't.

"So? Who won?" Evelyn asked, grinning.

"You did, Evelyn." The girl stated bluntly... Like a hammer.

"What?!" Jack asked, surprised... And John saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. She looked to Chief with hope, but he didn't say anything, sighing... She gasped and started "No, this can't be... This is my mother's recipe. All of the food I make is my mother's recipes and I follow them to a T! I'm sure it can't be _that_ bad!" and Chief saw a tear that the girl quickly hid by looking away.

"... Oh, Gods, so that's what this was about." Evelyn noted, surprised.

"Your pancakes weren't bad, Jack." Penny said calmly, surprising both Evelyn and her. She looked to the Spartan, then asked "Dylan. Barring the taste, how were Jack's pancakes?"

"Barring taste? They felt like they were meant to be pancakes. They just had an overpowering taste... of... I do not know." Chief shrugged, making Jack and Evelyn tilt their heads, confused... Penny smiled, then spoke "Cinnamon. Your pancakes were over-saturated with Cinnamon, Jack." making the girl's eyes go wide. Evelyn took pause for a moment as Jack rambled about ounces and then walked toward the Kitchen. The Chief knew that mess was his to clean... As Evelyn avoided the mess, she found a small container and looked over it...

"You have to be **_fucking_** kidding me!" She exclaimed, then stomped out and walked toward Jack, opened the cap of the container and shoved it in Jack's face, before saying "Take a whiff of this!" and putting it below Jack's nostrils... The girl sniffed once and her face contorted into one of disgust, before she backed off and covered her nose, coughing and trying to stop the bile from rising in her throat...

"What did you do to my cinnamon, Carrots!?" She demanded, staring at Evelyn.

"I didn't do shit... This is Mistrali-brand Cinnamon!" The bunny girl snapped.

"Mistrali brand?" The girl once again went wide-eyed... "Oh, my god... How... How stupid was I!?"

"Dylan, to explain the situation to you, there's two varieties of Cinnamon on Remnant. Mistrali and Vacuo... The former is about 10 times as potent." Evelyn noted, chuckling awkwardly.

"And I was blasting my food with the stuff! No wonder everything I made came out tasting like crap!" Jack groaned, planting a palm on her face. "Can you imagine the shit we could've avoided? All the bile wasted? All the endless nights of torture?"

"Had I been less abrasive?" Evelyn sighed.

"And had I been more... Prone to accept criticism?" Jack noted... She chuckled.

"What?" Evelyn raised a brow.

"It's funny... But hey, at least the shit's over, right?" Jack said "Sorry about that, Evelyn." And she rubbed the back of her neck. Evelyn chuckled, then patted her friend on the shoulder and said "It's alright, Jack... I'm sorry for all the stuff I said too." before Jack nodded. The two smiled at each-other, while Chief looked over to Penny, who smiled and gave a thumbs up.

He nodded...

Later on in the night, Chief once again sat alone on the balcony, checking his Scroll as Linda, Daisy, Cal and Kelly joined him on the deck. The lattermost smirked and said "Hey, Chief. Looks like you and your team aren't the only ones cursed by the names missing a letter. Say hello to team Lilac." before sitting down next to the Chief. "So... Any news?"

"Nothing for now. Cortana's working on some anomaly she's found..." Chief noted, staring out into the distance.

"Jeez..." The girls noted.

 ** _Play Goblin Slayer OP:Rightfully, by Milli_**

"That Cortana chick is new, Chief. How long have you been working together?" Daisy inquired, holding an MRE. Chief raised seven fingers, to which the girl nearly choked on her food. He nodded, then shrugged. So AIs were also affected by whatever de-aged them... As Kelly was about to join in and ask what the hell was going on, they all froze as Cortana's image flashed onto the phone with a quick warning.

"Chief, girls, sorry to cut this chatter short, but please take a look at the Scroll. All of you. _Now._ " She demanded rather seriously. The Spartan took the phone and they all gathered, hunched around the small device... A Map of Remnant, more specifically, Vale and its surrounding areas, flashed on. Multiple yellow dots flaked the man, appearing and disappearing at intervals. Chief counted at least 28 dots close by to Vale. A few dozen more outside it, in mountain ranges and near by the seas, on a small island known as Patch... All of the dots appeared at different spots... And all had IFFs.

"Cortana... What is this?" Kelly raised a brow, surprised.

"... I can't honestly say without sounding crazy, Kelly." Cortana's face appeared on a corner of the screen, smiling. The Chief took a moment as Cortana said "It's multiple small Slipspace Ruptures... All of which bear at least one IFF with them. I'm not gonna lie, I'm either losing my mind, Remnant's CCTS systems are, or... These are all what we _know_ very well they are. I've also triangulated where all the powered Ruptures are coming from... And I believe, girls and boy, I may've found the first piece of the puzzle... The first piece that can answer _why_ we're all here. And why we're all at least 7 years below what our real ages are. It's located about 300 Klicks outside Vale, in the mountain range serving as a natural barrier. But the IFFs... There's so many of them... Do you think...?"

"... No way..." Daisy smiled. "No way, you're not telling us..."

"Friendly IFFs? And this many?" Cal steepled her hands together, smiling too as her ears twitched cutely out of joy.

"My God..." Linda smiled too, hiding her mouth with her hand.

"... Spartans, looks like we've got our job cut out for us." John said sternly. "Cortana, see how many dots and IFFs you can isolate at the start and give us coordinates. See if you can't ping them via Radio and tell them to converge on locations nearest to them. If this is _truly_ and _honestly_ them, we can't take any chances." He then ordered calmly. "We all want them home..."

Cortana saluted and said "Aye aye, Chief! Already on it."

"Let's be ready to go out and grab them, girls... Our family's expanding." The Chief gave a nod.

"Aye aye, sir!" The four Spartans cheered silently.

This was it... Something very big was happening...

 ** _This was the End of the Beginning..._**


	12. A Noble Rebirth

Dropping out of a dark-blue portal and rolling onto the grass-covered dirt, a young Spartan grabbed her gun off her back and jumped to her feet. She snapped the gun left, then right and scanned the surrounding treeline. She gritted her teeth behind her Recon helmet. Her armor was painted scarlet with golden trimmings and her visor was a deep shade of blue. She took a moment to let her HUD reappear and heard the crackle of her Radio. She flicked it on and adjusted the signal to a restricted channel as she swept the surrounding treeline and kept an eye on her Motion Tracker...

 _"Attention all UNSC forces currently identified:This is UNSC AI CTN 0452-9, present with the Master Chief and happy to see you folks alive and awake. Rendezvous at Coordinates attached to this transmission for immediate retrieval. SIERRA-117, SIERRA-087, SIERRA-058, SIERRA-023 and SIERRA-141 are eagerly awaiting to see you all home, safe and sound. A short briefing for your location and current situation has also been attached to this communique. Make haste, we're waiting, boys and girls! This is an automated message and will now repeat."_

The girl flicked the Radio off, knowing full-well that was a UNSC Short-band transmission, but the signal was strong, meaning it was probably rather close by. She watched her HUD Flash on, then the information and the NAV Point also appeared. She scanned her surroundings once more as her MT started to ping multiple Unknowns, then she racked the weapon's bolt, feeding a round with a satisfying click...

She watched as creatures emerged through the shrubbery, clad in black manes and white, bone armor. Well, fuck... She shouldered the AR and removed the safety as the first creature lunged at her, then fired. Six bullets punched through hard flesh and bone and the creature tumbled to the floor, whilst its brothers soon joined it. The Spartan withdrew her Handgun from her hip and snapped off shot after shot with both weapons. Multiple small Grimm fell under fire. Stowing her pistol as it ran out of ammo, she dumped an empty mag, then tapped her Microphone and called out "Be advised, all allied units in the area:Sierra Bravo 312 speaking, I'm being engaged by strange creatures... Eyes open for white plate and black manes." before flicking the mic off.

She dodged another creature as it launched itself at her. It slammed into a tree, its claws sticking to the bark. The Spartan took her Knife out and drilled into the creature's skull, before removing the blackened blade, tossing the gunk aside and sheathing the weapon, all whilst she kept the trigger squeezed on the AR. The counter dropped into the red as she once again found herself in need to reload.

Just as she was about to, however, a bigger creature, resembling a bear, charged her. She gritted her teeth, then braced herself, crossing her forearms in front of her face as to dull the attack. As the bear-like monster roared and slammed into her, it sent her through four trees, all of which broke on impact, shattering into dozens of tiny shards and splinters of wood. The Spartan, meanwhile, ground to a halt about half a foot from another tree, having left a trail through the dirt. She shook her head as her shields flared and reformed. Thankfully, she hadn't lost much health...

Well, that was probably about to change. As the bear thing jumped onto her, it pinned both her arms to the floor... Then let out a roar that fogged up the Spartan's visor. She used her strength, to try and get out, but couldn't. She wondered if this was it, just as an azure shadow appeared and pounced onto the back of the monster. A full magazine of Magnum rounds was emptied on its head and back... And the corpse collapsed on top of Six, beginning to vanish, its top plates broken by Magnum fire. The Noble felt a hand reach out and grab her, yanking her out from underneath the monster, before a familiar armor set appeared.

"Six. Six, you with me?" The woman before her asked. Her voice seemed familiar, but... Younger than it was supposed to be. Noble Six shook her head, then looked up with a cleared vision at the armor and the IFF tag. B320...

"Kat?" Six asked as she saw a hand extended to her. A Mechanical arm... Kat's arm... She took the hand and was lifted onto her feet, then asked "What?" before the girl patted her teammate on the shoulder and gave a nod. From head, to toe, this was Catherine-B320. Kat. Noble Team's tech expert. And by god, was Six happy to see her friend too.

"I don't know either, Six. But it's damn good to see you in one piece." Kat offered, crossing her arms.

"Why... Why do you sound so much younger?" Six asked... Then realized "Wait... Why do _I_ sound younger?"

"We can identify the problems later, Six... C'mon, that AI pinged us and we need to get moving." Kat urged her teammate forward, before drawing her famed M6 Handgun. Six nodded simply as she too drew her weapon and readied it. The two moved forth through the treeline. Kat used her short-range com to try and pick up any other NOBLE Signatures. For now, shit luck.

"How're you feeling?" Six asked, tapping her head. Kat shrugged, then nodded.

"I was supposed to have a hole the size of my thumb through my head, Six... And now I'm sitting in front of you, _talking_ to you, with both eyes intact, my helmet working and also probably with reduced age. Yet whoever or whatever revived me here didn't have the courtesy of giving me my arm back." She then quipped, to which Six suppressed a chuckle. She was right, her arm was still MIA. Kat said calmly "So in short, I'm fine, Six... You?"

"... I feel off." The Spartan admitted "Very off."

"Mhm..." Her fellow Beta Company member gave a weak nod. Both of them took defensive stances, drawing their weapons as a ping flashed on their MTs, but soon resolved into a set of 3 yellow dots, coming in from the right. Swiveling about, but with weapons lowered, the Spartan gals witnessed a trio of soldiers emerge from behind the treeline. One had dark-blue Commando armor with a large, bulky left shoulder and a TACCOM pad on his left arm.

Following him was a man with a scout armor set in khaki-green and with a net around his shoulders. And finally, a man with an EVA Helmet that had a death's mask plastered onto it. He had on his bulky right shoulder pad a Kukri Knife. He lowered his shotgun as he got into view of Six and Kat, then said "I'll be damned, boss! It's the girls!" jovially, looking at the man with the commando helmet. His voice was also slightly modified...

"I can see that, Emile..." The other man said with a hint of melancholy in his otherwise stern voice. "Kat, Six... Good to see you."

"How're you doing, Crackshot?" The Scout Spartan asked, tilting his head toward Six. "Good to see you shrugged off that death."

"... Jun... Carter... Emile..." Six exhaled, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt her pocket for their final teammate's dogtags, then saw it... Was empty. She gasped, then said "Jorge..." in whisper, before all Spartans stopped moving and talking as an incessant rattle sounded off due west of them. That familiar thunderous echo was very close... And the five Spartans dashed through cover and out and around trees, only to see a man in a bulky, heavily-plated set of armor and hauling a heavy chain gun with both hands, emptying the massive box case of ammunition at the creatures charging him.

"Come on! I won't go down without a fight!" The man called out to the creatures, his voice younger as well... As shells piled at his feet.

"Jorge!" Carter called out, raising his DMR. Emile dashed forth first and joined his compatriot, shotgun at the ready and already barking shots. The CQC Specialist of Noble punched Jorge playfully in the shoulder, but that didn't even remotely throw off his aim. The other Spartans of Noble Team poured in, guns blazing and forming a perimeter around the hulking Titan that was Jorge.

"Carter, Emile, Jun, Kat and Six! I was wondering when you'd join the fight!" Jorge jovially stared. Noble Five hadn't changed a bit. Six bit back a cry of joy as she focused on clearing out the creatures attacking them, her rifle barking constantly. The girl withdrew a grenade from her belt, tapped the safety and removed the pin, before hurling it into a squadron of wolf-like Grimm. The explosion eviscerated and vaporized the creatures, leaving halves of Carcasses on the floor.

As the fire died down, the Spartans saw the creatures vanishing, the corpses not piling up like they'd have expected to. Carter raised his fist and the gunfire completely halted, before the Spartans lowered their weapons and exhaled. "Man, that felt good." Emile noted, before looking to Jorge and saying "It's good to see you, big man. Been a while."

"For me it wasn't that long." The big man noted.

"I'm glad to see all of Noble alive and well here." Carter noted, sliding his weapon on his back "But we're still meant to reach an RV Point. And this 'Cortana' didn't give us a timetable."

"Agreed." Kat nodded "We should move out as fast as we can to the RV point. We can chat when we're not knee-deep in whatever those things were."

"Amen." Jun gave a nod. "Lead the way, boss."

Jorge looked to Six and gave her a nod... A gesture that meant more to the girl than the old Spartan-II knew. As they moved across the forest, clearing out pockets of resistance from the strange creatures and trying to make headway to the RV point. The deeper into the forest they ran, the less pings they got. As the NAV Point got closer and closer, the Spartan Mixed Fireteam found themselves grinding to a halt in a massive clearing filled with ruins and a cliff edge on the left... As they strode in, maintaining a defensive formation and weapons raised, they saw perhaps, at least, ten new IFFs pop up from the opposite side of the treeline.

"Looks like more friendlies... I'm tagging Spartans. I think... Kind of?" Jun spoke, looking down the scope of his rifle and eyes wide.

"Kind of?" Jorge asked, using his helmet's polarization, jovial as all hell "Those are IIs, Jun. Their tags tell me as much."

Carter detached his helmet from his head, to reveal fairly younger features than the ones he had before, enough that it was distinguishable. He checked a vid-light, then flashed it green. Jun looked to Carter and said "Green flashes. Friendly confirmation... Spartans, sir." The Sniper-scout noted, standing up and slinging his rifle over his shoulder. The Spartans approached each-other on foot, only for a squadron of 10 Spartans clad in MJOLNIR armor, about Jorge's height and bulk, to nod... And one of them nodded to Jorge.

"Jorge." Quipped the man... Or boy, in this case, his voice like that of a teenager's.

"... Samuel?" Jorge asked, taking his helmet off and staring at his friend, surprised. The Spartan ahead also took his helmet off, to reveal crew-cut blonde hair and deep blue eyes. As well as a large grin. Jorge grabbed his extended hand, gripping it tightly. The two exchanged glances for a moment, before backing off. Sam slid his helmet back on his head, before Jorge followed, then Carter.

"This all of us for now?" Six asked Sam.

"Yeah..." He said, then squinted at Six. "Who are you? Come to think of it..." he looked at Noble "Who're the rest of you?"

"Noble Team." Carter nodded.

"... Class-II Spartans, Jorge?" Another female Spartan asked.

"No. Spartan-IIIs. While they're younger and with less gene modifications than us, they're strong enough. if I'm honest." Jorge offered as the IIIs all gave nods and took a stiff, ramrod straight posture. Sam gave the IIIs an approving nod, seeing their form, then showed one of the Spartans to activate Comms. She had a com pack on her back. The Spartans glanced to each-other, then Sam threw a holographic display onto the floor and tapped a command on what looked like a proto-TACCOM on his forearm... The holo-display showed a map of the local area... And several dots closing in. All of them yellow. Allied IFFs.

"We're getting more of ours." Jorge noted, grinning. "Any way of ID'ing the tags?"

"Nope. Not this far away. Whatever Slipspace mishap sent us here still has Rads on the Spartans. IFFs are scrambled until you get close, so it's a bit like gambling with who we're gonna get." The man noted "Hell, for all we know, we may even get Marines that died in the war, or ODSTs." He then looked to the girl who held the radio. She gave a thumbs up, then spun her finger and pointed up. Sam gave a nod, before showing the Spartans to form up and showing her to switch the Com over to his control. With a nod, the girl took a defensive stance, drawing her half-empty MA5B and racking the bolt. The other Spartans also took defensive positions, utilizing diverse weaponry to hold the line...

 ** _Meanwhile, in Beacon._**

John had looked over the data Cortana had managed to gather. The names were unidentifiable due to the rads from the deployment via Slipspace. He arranged his body armor and held his helmet under his arm as he was sure Ozpin would notice. So, with his trusted AI Partner, he came up with an explanation for all the 'pings' that could probably easily be spotted on the CCTS's networks.

The Headmaster had especially called him up for that. Him and his teammates... So there John now sat, with Linda, Kelly, Daisy and Cal behind him. The man set his helmet on his lap, then noted "Headmaster? I presume you called us about some strange contacts?" Calmly... Ozpin looked at the Chief, his eyes narrowed, then he nodded, leaning his cheek on his palm.

"Yes..." He simply answered. "I presume you've got an explanation for me?"

"Quite, sir... Those are transmission 'ghosts', sir. Echoes of Wyvern in its final moments." The Spartan noted calmly, keeping a poker face that not even Ozpin could call a bluff on. The headmaster nodded, then showed the young man to continue as he straightened up. John nodded calmly, then said "Dozens, perhaps hundreds of radio transmissions went out as the final bouts of the rebellion happened... Of course, Gravity Dust garbled them so much you can't decipher them... And the radar bleeps, I'd say, are also ghosts of other Wyvern fireteams."

"That would explain why so many are converging... But why would the transmissions appear _now_? Days after the events that unfolded in Wyvern?" The Headmaster asked.

"Radio 'ghosts' persist, sir... I'm assuming the waves only now reached here." Chief shrugged "What with the Grav Dust, it must've also disrupted communication upon detonating, enough so that the radio waves would only now reach Beacon's CCTS." The man then noted, crossing his arms. Ozpin nodded, then sighed and stood up, looking out the window over Beacon.

"Remember the warning I gave, Dylan?" Ozpin said. "I do hope you aren't lying to me. With something that could endanger my school. My students. And my people, no less..."

"I'm not lying, sir. In fact, I will be heading into the Emerald Forest to see if anything has materialized into a threat, just in case. With your permission, of course." John offered... The Headmaster slowly turned to him, then let out a deep sigh and turned to him, cup of coffee in hand, before saying "Permission granted... And Dylan? If this turns out to be more of your teammates and you just didn't know? Bring them home. You got access to a Bullhead if you can pilot it." his expression softening.

"Yessir..." The Spartan noted, feeling his heart skip a beat, but his poker face still on.

"Dismissed." Ozpin gave a nod... And the five Spartans saluted, before walking away and out of the room. Sighing deeply, he spun the cup of coffee in his hand slowly, to see the black liquid inside move. He watched as the five-man Fireteam marched down toward the Bullhead landing and felt his heart sink. "I know they're hiding something from me... From all of us... He won't let things on to me..." He snorted "So this is how it feels... Secrecy, avoidance of truth. But I never lied about my identity... Now, I want to know who you are, Master Chief... But I'll wait until the opportune time to find out."

He heard his desk console flash. A new message... From James, he saw upon turning.

' _Many rads. Anything I should know?'_

Ozpin gave a half-smile... Perceptive James... Perceptive.

 ** _Team JPDE's Dorm..._**

Penny stared out into the lights as darkness faded with the rise of the Sun... She too had felt the Radiation, so she knew very well that something big was happening... She felt her Scroll ping, then took it out and looked over it. General Ironwood... With orders... She looked back at Evelyn and Jack inside, talking, then saw the words written on the message board... She frowned...

 _Ozpin has sent me combat footage from his initiation. Dylan's armor is something we could use, Penny. Send me a scan whenever possible._

She felt whatever she had for a heart skip a beat... That would be a breach of privacy. And of possible security for his people, were any more left. She felt her throat and tugged at her collar weakly, feeling a choking sensation for the first time in her life. But alas, it was orders coming straight from the General... As per their agreement for her to stay in Beacon, she'd have to do this...

... Did not mean she liked it, however...


	13. Sergeant 'Laser Eyes' Johnson

Gunfire echoed across the Emerald Forest as the UNSC Spartans engaged in keeping the Grimm at bay. Not many others joined the 16 Spartans already present within the clearing, but Six knew that could change at any moment. Jorge's gun rattled on as he swept the treeline, while she fired her AR. Carter's DMR and Jun's Sniper snapped off every so often, killing some of the farther creatures before they got too close, while Emile had slung his Shotgun on his back and took out his Kukri, stabbing into the things with little remorse.

The Spartan-IIs they went back to back with, including Samuel-034, were sweeping the area clear more professionally than Noble was, with more directed aim and more clear-cut arcs of fire. Some times Noble, by mistake, overlapped with each-other's. But alas, they were still doing their damnedest into targeting the multitude of enemy creatures. The constant fire echoed on...

And an engine droning sounded off overhead. Five IFF tags popped up out of a large, metallic, rounded aircraft with VTOL, guns barking. One of the guns let out a massive roar that punched a hole the size of a fist through a tree and several Grimm. As the five Spartans dropped off the sides, weapons loaded, they engaged Grimm with Close-In weapons like Swords and rifles and pistols.

As the Area got cleared and the creatures started to scatter, the young Spartans all gasped upon seeing one of the tags... Sam was unsure when he first heard the call... 117. "John..." He spoke softly, then further did his eyes widen as he saw Kelly and Linda, turn toward him. John too followed, lowering his rifle... As the girls and John marched toward him, Sam took off his helmet... His face hadn't changed since that fateful day in 2525... And nor had his smile. Cocky, with half a mouth and his blue eyes shimmering with joy... Kelly and Linda took off their helmets as well, followed by John...

"Sam..." Kelly covered her mouth as her voice quivered...

"I wouldn't believe it if my own eyes didn't stare at you guys... John, Kells, Linda." The Spartan boy noted, slinging his helmet under his arm. He extended his hand to John, who gripped and shook it firmly, for the first time in a while, smiling too. The Spartans all stood to attention afterward and saluted each-other, calm and stern... And the Bullhead landed.

"We can talk more when we're at Beacon... I have a lot to explain to you now, though." Chief offered, before the Spartans nodded and got aboard the bird in an orderly fashion. Chief showed the bird to swing around and head around Vale's outskirts while the Spartans scanned for fellow Spartans. John pulled out a tablet, then extended it to Sam and NOBLE Team, before he nodded to the Nobles...

"Cortana? You know them?" He asked.

"Yup." The AI spoke via Radio. "Hello, Nobles... Thanks for the pick-me-up back on Reach."

"Ma'am." Carter gave a nod. "So you're the AI Six hauled over to the _Autumn._ " He noted.

"Yeah... Hello, B312." The AI said happily. John looked over to Spartan B312 as she seemed surprised. The woman simply gave a silent nod. "Oh, come on, don't be shy, Six." The woman in her helmet chuckled "You saved me, I found you... We're even now." before the Chief took the chip out of his helmet and let her Avatar flash on, arms crossed and a smile on her lips.

Six gave a nod, then sighed and took her helmet off, before looking to the Chief and asking "Permission to speak freely...?"

"Granted." Chief nodded.

"... Does anyone have any fucking clue how we wound up here? Because I'm still lost on how the hell an entire group of Spartans found themselves stuck together in a forest..." She asked... And Cortana's smirk widened. The Spartan-III sighed, then said "I guessed you'd already have an explanation, ma'am..." Before she felt a fist bump into her shoulder. Emile.

"It's a lot of ancient technobabble for now, Noble." Cortana offered her answer "We'll talk once we recover more Spartans... Come to think of it, John, since we're picking up Spartans... Whose armors all way around 2 or 3 tonnes with'em inside... Shouldn't we drop them in packs rather than all at once?" She turned to John. "It'd ease the Bullhead load and this damn thing's engines wouldn't sputter... Or die..."

"... You have a point." John said. He showed the Pilot to head for Beacon for a quick drop, before looking to Sam and starting "So... About what I had to tell you..." as the aircraft turned slowly to the left. The UNSC Soldiers all listened intently on the words of the Chief, about the need to have faked his ID, allegiance and such to keep the people of Remnant from going into a Panic and how he knew that the Headmaster of Beacon was getting suspicious. And perhaps even seeing through his lies...

As the aircraft landed at Beacon, a stunned squad of Spartans piled out, Sam turning to Chief and saying "Be careful out there, John. And tell the pilot to ease it on the throttle if he feels that we're too much weight." He then quipped. John gave a nod to his friend as they walked away. The bird took off, its engines slightly failing to ignite... Six pursed her lips as she saw this, then shook her head as they walked down the road...

A lot of students regarded the Spartans' march down Beacon Boulevard. Without even realizing, the squadron of almost 20 Spartans marched in a neat formation, with Samuel, Carter and a few other Spartans in the lead, while she, Emile and Jun were in the back. Beacon itself was awe-inspiring, with all the modern and ancient Earth buildings combined to form a cohesive superstructure with the massive tower as its centerpiece.

The Spartans' boots thundered against the concrete, in unison. In absolute silence, the Supersoldiers marched, helmets on their heads, much to the awe of people in Beacon. As a tall, beautiful blonde woman came to greet them, she froze... Pushing her glasses back, the woman stared on, awed at the number of Spartans. She showed them to stop and the march halted. Their gazes were stern, military... Those who had no helmets on, that was. The others? They felt just as dangerous as the Master Chief.

"... I presume you would be _more_ of the Master Chief's comrades...?" Swallowed Glynda.

"Yes, ma'am!" The soldiers swiftly answered in unison. A choir of soldierly children...

"By the Gods, how many of them...?" Ozpin murmured behind Glynda as he approached. "Welcome to Beacon." He then offered, smiling, but with an exhaustive look of worry in his eyes. The Spartans all snapped salutes to Ozpin, before Kelly and Linda appeared ahead, smiling. Ozpin gave them nods... Chief's teammates were this numerous... He felt a sense of safety, more so than fear, now, creep up...

"Hope you don't mind we brought more of ours to the party, sir." Kelly offered, seemingly giddy. She looked back to Sam and gave the boy a thumbs up, to which he nodded back, smiling as well. The Naval Special Warfare unit watched Ozpin as he too watched them... He then sighed and shook his head, before nodding to them and looking to Glynda. He spoke to her "Any rooms still untouched where Dylan's allies can bunk?"

"I'm afraid not, headmaster. We were in luck to find a room for him and the rest of team JPDE." Glynda noted.

"That's fine." Kelly returned, smiling. She looked back to them, then waved Sam over. The young man joined his friends, then said "We overheard the bunking issue. Don't worry about it, I'm sure we can find a spot to set up camp."

"I will try to find something in Vale for you and your team, if that isn't a problem... Where is Dylan, by the way?" The Headmaster raised a brow, looking around.

"Hunting for more of us, sir." Kelly said "Turns out something in Wyvern sent a lot of us flying out. Those pings were all IFFs."

"... And there must've been at least double or triple this group... Gods..." Ozpin noted...

Oh, Salem, may thee pass safely...

 ** _... Within the Forever Falls..._**

As the Bullhead swung about for landing on a gathering of troops, Chief scanned the clearing and saw nothing in the surrounding treeline... But he froze as he saw MARINE ID tags on the ground. Riflemen, Corpsmen and even a Sergeant... Cortana had to shut off Chief's internal helmet speakers so he wouldn't hear her cheer, before she returned and said "Chief! Look at the Marines!" happily...

"I see it, Cortana." John grinned behind his helmet... He watched as the Marines waved the Bullhead to land close and as the bird touched down on a patch of scarlet grass, the Marines all froze upon seeing the Chief... The troopers wore the deep-green armors of the Corps. Heavy, bulky and explosive and bullet-resistant, the UNSC Marine Armors shined in the forest, their boots soiled by mud and their rifles clean... MA5Bs, BR55s and an M45...

That M45 Shotgun belonged to a dark-skinned man wearing a Marine Squad Leader's cap, with the rank pins of Sergeant Major on his collar. His voice rough, strong, yet youthful, called out "I'll be damned... Chief." as he saw the Spartan disembark. Sergeant-Major Avery Junior Johnson and his Marine Contingent saluted, then the old Marine extended his hand to the Chief, who gripped and shook it firmly.

"Good to see you walking again, Johnson." Cortana noted in-Com.

"Damn good to hear your voice, Cortana." The Marine Sergeant grinned, leaning his shotgun on his shoulder "And Chief. You know, when we got Cortana's ping, I had half a mind to ask how the hell you wound up in whatever afterlife I did." And he took out a cigar, putting it in his mouth and igniting it, before speaking "Then, I remembered... If you two are alive, means we ain't nowhere near hell. MARINES!" He called out to his troopers, who stood up. "Fall in! Get on the bird and let's get the hell out of here!"

"It's good to see you too, Sergeant." John noted as they walked aboard... He noticed Chips Dubbo beside them...

"I see your old gang is back, Johnson." Cortana quipped "Hello, PFC Dubbo."

"Ma'am." The Ozzy Marine noted with a grin, leaning his MA5 on his shoulder. "Bloody good to be here."

"Anyone think this is odd? I'm pretty sure we all died before we wound up wherever this is." Sergeant Stacker noted as he took a seat. The other Marines, numbering about 24 without Johnson and Stacker, nodded. He watched as the bird took off, before Cortana appeared ahead of them, thanks to Chief once again removing his chip. The Avatar crossed her arms, smiling still as she looked around at the hall full of Marines.

The Marine Sergeant-Major looked to Chief, then gave the man a light punch in the shoulder, before saying "So, where we headed, Chief? Better be somewhere nice... I've had enough of seeing Red all the damn time down there. And you owe me that much." and taking a puff of his cigar to the laughs of his Marines. Chief gave a nod, then watched as they swung by to the next drop point, near by the train and bridge...

Sam. Johnson. The Nobles... The lattermost he'd read about in an after-action report. Spartan-IIIs that helped save the _Pillar of Autumn_ and get Cortana, or a portion thereof with important info, back to the Cruiser. The Chief was overjoyed. He didn't show it, but he was happy so many of his old teammates were back... He paused as he heard a radar Close-In warning from the Bullhead... And the thunder of engines overhead... He stood up, as did the Marines...

Soon... Radio interference began to clear into a call... " _Attention:Cortana! If you can copy me, this is Echo-419, repeat, Echo-419! I'm getting tailed by some sort of gigantic raven and I may need backup to get rid of it! And I'll need a lot of explanations too!"_ Foe Hammer's voice came over the radio. And the Spartan saw it. A D77-TC Pelican bearing the ECHO-419 markings on its side flew, dodging quills from what looked like an oversized Grimm Bird...

"Chief. It's Foe Hammer!" Cortana called out "Can you..." And she paused as the Spartan activated his Mag Lock boots and gave a nod to Cortana, shouldering his Rail Rifle and aiming down the scope toward the bird. Cortana grinned, then said "Foe Hammer, this is Cortana! Bring the Grimm Bird toward us! We'll take care of it!" before she heard a cheer from Carol Rawley and her co-pilot... She spun about, bringing the aircraft to bear using the VTOL capabilities to their full extent. Carol was one hell of a pilot. And a Pelican was a welcome addition...

Chief knew better than to miss, locking his eyes onto the bird and steadying his breath, while the Marines also readied their weapons. Johnson racked the pump of his shotgun and grinned "Another _Autumn_ vet joins the party..." before aiming down the Shotgun's sights as the bird got closer... The Marines let loose with their ARs and Battle Rifles, stunning the bird and making it stop and hover, freeing it from Carol's tail as the woman weaved through the air and prepared to swivel about... Chief locked his aim... Breathed... And fired. The weapon was at one-fifth power... And the round sheared the Grimm creature in half, just as Carol also came in with the 30mm Gatling on the nose of her bird.

"Nice!" Cortana cheered... Johnson sighed.

"Didn't get to fire a shot." He noted, frowning and slinging his shotgun on his back.

"There'll be other times, Sarge." Dubbo grinned, reloading his rifle.

"Jackass." Johnson muttered under his breath. The Marines aboard burst into laughter... Chief had now noticed some where female. And Cortana smiled as she said " _Spartans and Marines were hard enough to explain, Chief... Foe Hammer will have one hell of a time trying to explain why she has a Pelican with the letters 'UNSC' written on it. Much more, MARINES."_

"I know..." Chief sighed deeply, but turned to the Marines as they sat down and said "But at least we got our people back."

" _Yup."_ Cortana noted, then called on Radio "Foe Hammer. Tail our bird home and read what I'm sending you. You'll need it to get the context. Marines, you guys and gals should get your PDAs out too and read the little Cover Story we made up." before Chief waved the Bird over to Beacon. Johnson raised a brow, then grinned and took a puff from his Sweet Williams as he grabbed his PDA from his pocket and tapped into a new file Cortana had sent to him and his Marines. Chief saw their reactions as he sat down... And Johnson gave him a look of 'Whatthefuckery'.

As the birds swung by to land at Beacon, Chief saw Ozpin already waiting for them. Oh, boy... Time for an explanation... The Pelican landed first, unloading another squad of about 5 Spartans, then the Bullhead unloaded its cargo... There were still more to recover, but right now, a possible assload of explanations were needed... Chief looked to Johnson, who gave a nod and grinned, cigar between his teeth as he walked off to speak with Ozpin. Two Marines joined him... As he saluted, he got a nod from Ozpin. And seemed to be playing well into the part.

Chief wasn't worried, but he still had more Spartans to recover... Looking to his right, he saw the ID Tags of Green Team and gave them nods, before crossing his arms and watching as the Headmaster and Sergeant-Major exchanged small talk. Ozpin actually smiled, then seemed to laugh. Johnson looked to the Chief, then gave a nod, puffing from his cigar and huffing it to the side.

" _Things are running smooth."_ Cortana noted, smiling. Chief nodded in agreement as they sat there with the GREEN Team Spartans and other Marines... Johnson called the Spartan up. The Chief took steps toward them. Ozpin gave him a nod, before extending a scroll with writing on it... Chief took a moment to read it... Then paused and felt his heart skip a beat.

"You're assigning my compatriots new living conditions?" He asked. Ozpin gave a nod, then said "We cannot fit the entire contingent of soldiers you will be bringing in Beacon. So, we've taken the permission from the Vale Council to acquire an old warehouse just outside Beacon as habitation. It will be refurbished come tomorrow, so your fellow soldiers and Wyvern survivors may move there. Sergeant Johnson was more than kind enough to inform me that it'd be no problem for the Marines to bunk anywhere, but I figured I needed to offer more room for a possible revival of the Vale Defense Force."

"... For accommodation, you ask us to fight for you." Chief said.

"Yes... Vale could use defenses. Only one kingdom has a military. The others have police and Huntsmen only to rely upon, as well as whatever ragged Militias they can make up. Your Wyvern veterans would be quite useful to Vale as a defense, Dylan. We aren't asking you to resign your loyalties to your former kingdom and take up our banner, but more or less provide defense for where more of your compatriots may soon arrive. Perhaps even Civilians if the situation develops as such." Ozpin offered, calmly. "I see it as fair... Isn't it?"

"Well, Chief?" Johnson raised a brow "Whaddaya say? We provide these people security and we get bunks and fresh food. You're highest ranking here. Your call."

"... It's a good deal." Chief noted. "Thank you, Headmaster."

"You needn't hank me, Dylan. I'm merely assuring the safety of both our peoples and a continued well-faring relationship. You may want to return to your team... They've been worried sick over where you went." He then smirked. John sighed deeply, then nodded and said "Thank you very much, Headmaster... We will be going on further runs, but I'll be assigning who'll go find more of us, if there are any more..."

"Yes. Good day, Dylan." Ozpin nodded. "Come, Sergeant. Miss Goodwitch would probably like to meet you."

"Hehehe." Johnson chuckled as they walked away. Cortana laughed too as they walked to their dorm... The Marines began tallying supplies while John/Dylan had called up Linda, Daisy, Cal and Kelly to get to recovering more Spartans... This time with a UNSC Pelican in tow... He watched as Foe Hammer and her Co-Pilot got out of the bird and checked her for any damage, smiling as they greeted the Spartans of Green Team.

... Walking into the Dorm, Jack, Penny and Evelyn immediately pounced on him, with questions.

"Where the hell have you been, partner?! We were worried sick!" Jack started with a gleam of deviltry in her eyes and a grin. "Part of me thought you went MIA on us, but then I saw the horde of armored lads and ladies marching down Beacon's alleys and it clicked. More Wyvernites than two, eh?" She spoke calmly. He sighed deeply as Penny was actually hanging onto his waist quite tightly and Evelyn seemed to be grinning... Long explanation incoming...

* * *

 ** _AN:To all y'all who love Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson, here he is! Alongside his famous A-List Marines and badass Pilot, Carol Rawley, AKA Echo-419, AKA Foe Hammer!_**

 ** _Anyways... This has been fun to write! And a lot of Spartans have come to Beacon, with probably more to follow! Also, to the reviewers saying this is a 'Spartan Only' thing, just wait and see... Just wait and bloody see._**

 ** _Johnnieboy11, out!_**


	14. The Giant and the Cat

The marching patrols of Spartans had been coming all day, with squadrons of Marines following in. Foe Hammer had flown about half a dozen flights to get everyone and the Blood Tray was always full on her old bird. This seemed to be the final run of the day as other pings didn't appear on the map given by Cortana. A platoon of UNSC Marines was what she caught this time. And she was heading for the Landing Site near the new base called Firebase BEACON. An obscenely large warehouse in the back of the Academic campus that was not occupied until the UNSC troops made headway to it.

"We're approaching the landing site." The Lieutenant relayed her passengers. "Asses in gear, Marines. Report to the Sergeant-Major ASAP."

"Aye, aye, ma'am!" The Marines responded jovially. Among the Marines, resided a trooper wearing a Boonie hat, with lighter armor and an MA5B AR. He racked the bolt, then looked to his fellow Marine companions, some of which wore the pins of the UNSC _Pillar of Autumn_ 's security contingent. For a fact, so did he. Private Manuel Mendoza sighed as he stood up, then looked to one of his fellows, whom he could swear had also died, Private Jenkins.

The squad of Marines stood up and, as the Pelican touched down just outside the warehouse, the Marines disembarked quickly. Mendoza looked to Jenkins and said in the voice of a 16-year-old Mexican kid "Look at this. They're putting us in a warehouse, man."

"At least we're alive..." Jenkins said, with a thousand yard stare.

"Yeah, but we're also somehow 15 again and with all our gear." Manuel noted, a bit scared "Nobody gonna question that?" He asked, gazing back at the recovered Marines. Several shrugged... Mendoza then sighed and said "I still find it crazy." before he paused as he and the rest of the contingent stopped... The African-American man that walked toward them had a grin on his face.

"Holy shit..." Jenkins smirked, still wide-eyed.

"Sarge!" Mendoza called out, grinning too.

"Jenkins, Mendoza. Late to the party as always." The Marine Sergeant gave a nod to them, before looking at the rest of the Platoon of the Autumn Marines and said "Ladies, gents! Welcome to our home for the time being! We're in for some long-time active duty here on this planet. It's called Remnant, it's chock-full of cute ladies and even more so of big bad monsters that wanna kill you! I'm sure at least part of you must've met these 'Grimm' things in combat out there and I'll be damned if, when I first saw'em, they didn't seem like anything but ugly-ass supersized game waiting to be shot in the face!"

"Hoo'Rah!" The Marines called out, jovial.

"It's Sarge, all right." Jenkins spoke calmly.

"As much as I'd love to hold a 'welcome home' speech for the Greenhorns and for the Old Guard, we got business to attend to, Marines! We gotta scramble inside and help the squadron of Elite Supersoldiers we all know and love, the Spartans!" Johnson stated, achieving the surprise he wanted when he saw Marines' eyes go wide at the mention of more than one Spartan, before he continued calmly "Yes, you heard me right, ladies! _Spartansss!_ As in Plural! Not just the Chief! We got about two or three dozen Supersoldiers sitting in that warehouse behind me, helping set up our temporary base of operations! You also passed over a School back there, known as Beacon! It trains kids to be elite monster killers, so don't worry about dyin'! If we ain't got all our bases covered for this just to basically be a very sweet, very long shore leave, I don't know what we got!"

"HOO'RAH!" The Marines cheered.

"Aw, fuck yeah! Break time!" Mendoza pumped his fist up.

"Volunteering for work, Mendoza? Well, ain't you an early riser!" The Sergeant quipped and the Marines laughed, before Old Johnson, seemingly 30 now from his younger looks, spoke again "Nah, nah, I'm kidding, kids! Not one of us is gonna be sitting on his ass doing jack-shit to help! We're without UNSC support aside from ourselves and dear ol' Foe Hammer, we ain't got ways to manufacture ammo and we're in deep shit if we don't work! The Spartans will sure as all _hell_ be waiting for us to carry our own weight! So if there aren't any questions that I can answer, get your asses in gear and help the Spartans set up!"

"HOO'RAH!" The Marines saluted.

"Dismissed!" Johnson called to them and they scrambled. He looked to the two Marine friends and said "Mendoza, Jenkins, with me! We're running supply errands in the nearby City." and they ground to a halt. They looked to Johnson as he said "Find a cot inside and meet me near the Landing Pad! We got one of their Drop ships here, given to us by the School's headmaster. I'll brief you about the mess of a place we're in on the flight."

"Aye, Sarge." The two nodded.

After quickly stowing the gear in a still-in-construction FOB's lockers, the two Marines, now clad in nothing but fatigues, walked up to meet Johnson on the landing pad, only to pause upon seeing be ugly fat bird that sat on the makeshift landing pad next to the beautiful Pelican. Mendoza's left brow perked up and Jenkins scratched his chin... The latter said "Well... That's a piece of junk if I've ever seen one."

"Yup..." Mendoza answered.

"Quit whining and get in." Johnson said, appearing from behind the door, still wearing his armor. The two Marines looked to each-other, then shrugged, climbing aboard the Bullhead without further fuss. The bird's engines silently revved as Johnson settled himself into one of the seats, followed by his Marines sitting opposite of him. He had his shotgun still on his back...

"Uh, Sarge?" Jenkins wanted to ask...

"Protection, Jenkins. You two morons forgot your sidearms? We're still going to a place that's foreign to the UNSC... Ah, come to think of it, gotta explain to you what kinda whack-ass idea Cortana and the Chief came up with to keep these people sane and blissfully unaware of what shit exists on the outside of their atmosphere. So listen and listen well, 'cause I won't repeat this whole story twice." He noted, then started explaining the lies about Wyvern and the likes... And the Marines seemed all the more surprised and intrigued... Sarge finished with a sigh and said "And that's the gist of it. Chief wants to keep the idea of Wyvern up until he can't no more. And the Headmaster's been getting suspicious."

"I mean... Jeez." Jenkins sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. This was a lot to take in for the young Marines. And Johnson saw that. He too was surprised when Cortana displayed to them the story. He took a puff from his cigar, letting them ponder and talk things over... Mendoza looked to Sarge and nodded, before Jenkins added "Guess we ain't got shit to do but follow the orders, sir... UNSC is a no-no."

"Good." Johnson nodded, then looked out to Vale and said "God damn, if that city ain't a beauty..."

As the Marines leaned out to watch, they were taken aback. The massive infrastructure, the beautiful buildings and holographic panels. The place was a blend of futuristic and Middle Ages Germanic buildings of a certain type of beauty. Touching down at the Bullhead Landing within the City, the trio of Marines piled out, with Johnson holding a digital Vale wallet with Lien on it, as well as a Scroll that had a list of items to be bought and returned to the base.

"We're hitting the Commercial district, kids. Supply errand for the base." He ordered.

 ** _Back in Beacon._**

In the Mess Hall, Sam, Kelly, Linda and John sat together, chatting about diverse items, like John's new team and his new ID for the time being. The trio of 'survivor' Spartans explained to Sam the extent of the Human-Covenant war and some events post-War, stories which he listened to with great curiosity. He had been 14 when he had died. Now, he was back among friends, probably around 15 in biological years.

"... And in turn, we woke up on the Ark." John whispered to him. "The _real_ Ark. The battles that ensued were some of the longest days of my life." He then spoke and saw Sam react slightly. The boy crossed his armored arms to his chest, then sighed deeply and shook his head, looking at the tray of food set on the table before him with a distant gaze...

"I missed too much..." The blonde boy sighed.

"You were MIA, Sam. Not much you could've done." Kelly lay a hand on his shoulder. "But at least you're here now. We didn't fight alongside the Chief on the Ark either, so you know..."

"Yeah, but I missed the whole war." Sam noted with a hint of dismay in his voice.

"You and several others. Don't beat yourself up over it... At least you showed us the Covenant could be killed." John reassured his friend. "And you're back now. For whatever new War is on the horizon." he then stated, before seeing Sam slightly perk up. The blonde-haired boy nodded to John, then extended his clenched fist... And John bumped it, for old times' sake. The Chief nodded to his friend, then stated simply "Good to have you back, Sam."

"Good to be back." He smirked. "Anyways... I should probably go find info on Remnant... Where's Beacon's library?"

"Out the door and to the right. Should be a sign that shows you the direction to it." Linda offered. Sam nodded, then said "Thanks" before standing up and stepping off to go to the library. Kelly, Linda and John talked more while he left, but he felt the need to ease his mind and start studying their world. Cortana's information aside, he needed to figure out his own place in the situation at hand.

As he walked, he felt someone watching him...

Electing to ignore the tailing persona, he walked until he found his way into what seemed to be Beacon's massive Library. Pushing the doors open, he walked inside and crossed his arms. Dozens upon dozens of shelves of books sat in rows, with tables and computers in-between them. He walked toward the section titled 'History and Historical Documents' and started picking out books... Nobody opposed him, as it seemed. Then again, opposing an almost eight-foot tall Supersoldier was probably not a good idea in anyone's mind...

He took his stack of about 10 books, all numbering at least 500 pages each, set himself down at a table that had a chair strong enough to sustain his weight in-armor, placed the stack of books on the table and started with the beginning, propping open the book called _'Valeian Archaeology:The History and Discovery of Vale's Precursor Civilizations'_. He sat calmly, looking and reading over the details time and time again to make sure he understood them. Vale and its mother and father-Civilizations were an interesting set of historical items.

A good hour had passed and the young Spartan was barely at the second book's midway point. Vale's early recorded history, to be specific, including events, past kings and its stance in what seemed to be Remnant's version of World War 1. The Great War. That was the halfway mark of this book. Vale's involvement and major engagements, including the defense of the nearby Mountain Forts against Mantle invasions... Huh...

He glanced back as he saw a figure hiding behind a few shelves duck back within cover. He squinted, then shrugged and turned back to his reading. He heard a few footsteps behind him, then cocked his head back again, turning halfway with his torso to greet the stalker and leaning his hand on the chair... Again, nothing. Just other students. Sighing, he turned back to his reading for a third time... And as he heard the first footstep, he suddenly cocked his head back... Startling a black-haired, amber-eyed beauty, who staggered immediately upon seeing him...

"... Uh... Hello?" Sam waved, unsure of what was going on.

"H... Hello." The black-haired girl nodded. The two sat there, staring at each-other for a good few minutes. The girl gained a tinge of red in her cheeks as she stood there, wide-eyed and lips slightly apart... Sam took a moment, then asked "Can... Can I help you?" surprising the girl, who jumped yet again, stumbling with a book she was carrying... She dropped the book, but Sam was prompt to catch and grab hold of the paperback book so it didn't fall to the floor. He looked at the colorful cover and the scarlet writing, but paused, unsure if he wanted to read it, before he extended the book to the girl. She quickly grabbed it... It was a Romance book. Sam wasn't blind, nor was he stupid. He'd seen this stuff on some Marines and even Kelly at one point.

"Uhh... Sorry about that..." The girl said "And... Actually, I saw you were... Reading the history of Vale." She took a few pauses between, to find her words, before looking at him and stating "You must be one of Dylan's compatriots... One of the dozens that have arrived." calmly. She extended her hand calmly and said "I'm Blake Belladonna. I and Dylan are acquainted, but I've yet to meet you."

Sam took her hand and gently shook it, before saying "I'm Samuel, but most of the people I know call me Sam. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss Belladonna" and half-smiling. Blake blinked twice, feeling her heart skipping, before she let go of his hand. Another moment of awkward silence ensued, with Blake trying to avoid eye contact between her and him. Which wasn't hard, considering this guy was seven feet four... it was almost comical to whoever watched. A 6 foot 6 girl sitting face to face with this tall a Spartan.

"So... I assume you guys didn't know much of the outside world in Wyvern..." Blake sort of tried to break the ice.

Sam nodded "Not really, no. I know of the Great War, know the names of the 4 Kingdoms that fought it and that's about it..." He then shrugged.

"Do you... Maybe want help with learning?" She offered, stowing the Romance Novel in her school coat. She wore a local Beacon uniform, clearly meaning she was from around the bend. He narrowed his eyes as he saw her bow twitch, then offered her a seat next to him. She graciously, if nervously, took the seat and held her hands together, near her waist, seemingly embarrassed. The Spartan was curious as to why she acted as such, but for now chose to start asking questions about Vale...

Time passed and the two found themselves waking to the sight of the Library about to close... And almost night. Sam looked to Blake, then said "Oh, we stayed late... And I haven't finished up the rest of the books." and sighed. Blake looked at the 3 remaining books and then to him and offered "I could rent them for you. I have a Library card for Beacon."

"Thanks." Sam gave a half-smile "I appreciate that..."

And Blakey felt her heart jump... As they walked out toward the exit, they also put up the Books to 'rental'. After that, Blake explained to him he had to get them back ten days from the date he took them out of the library. He nodded as they walked out, then stopped, before saying "Well, miss Belladonna, thank you. Today was educational. Perhaps next time we can discuss Vale's military during the Great War, since that seems a bit vague."

"Sure." Blake nodded, blushing still. She looked away, rubbing her arm "Uhm... Please, do call me Blake."

"Got it." Sam nodded, before giving Blake another half-smile and saying "Well, I'll see you, Blake." before walking away... Blake took pause, blushing, before dashing for her team's dorm... Finding herself inside the dormitory of team RWBY, she started panting, a balled fist placed over her battering chest. Her heart went off like an assault rifle and she knew not why...

"Yo, Blake!" Yang yelled... And the cat screamed and jumped on top of a shelf... She hissed, then called out "Yang! You scared the Dust out of me!" before the blonde grinned, crossing her arms with the most smug expression the little cat Faunus had ever seen her partner put on. And then she realized she was perched on a precariously-built shelf... It creaked and the girl immediately jumped off, before sighing deeply...

"Sorry... Sheesh, why're you so jumpy, Blakey?" Yang noted, before walking up to her and feeling her forehead "And why... Why are you burning up? Blake, did you sit in the garden all day, reading, again?" She then spoke, arms crossed and frowning... She was blushing and avoiding eye contact, while also pouting... Yang's frown turned into a grin yet again... "Oh, lawdeh, Blake Belladonna, my dear, were you with a _boy_?"

"Shut up!" Blake hissed.

Yang took a moment... Realizing... And bursting into laughter "Oh Gods, Blake, you naughty girl! What happened?! With whom might thou have intertwined that kept you busy for so long?!" And she kept laughing as she spoke. Blake gritted her teeth, then sighed deeply and said "It's nothing like that... It's one of Dylan's entourage. A guy by the name of Sam... He asked me to explain to him about the Great War and more specifically, about the history that preceded it and our Kingdoms today. It was a study meeting."

"Suuuure~!" Yang nudged Blake in the shoulder "I'm sure you _studied_ plenty!" She chuckled... And Blake hissed... The blonde brawler sighed, crossed her arms with a smile and said "I'm just pulling your leg, Blakey. Plus, I know you're not the type to pull that stuff the first time you meet a person. So don't mind me saying, hope you did have fun teaching him history. Hope he's friendly too."

"Yep... And welcoming." Blake's frown turned into a small smile "I mean... He's probably taller than even Dylan, but he's friendly enough."

"A dude taller than Dylan..." Yang chuckled "Now that I gotta see... Anyways, c'mon. We gotta go grab Rubes and Weiss from the Mess Hall and hit the sack." and showed Blake to lead the way "Go ahead, Bellabooty." She quipped... And that actually got her a slap across the face... "Ow! What the hell, Blake! I was kidding!" She yelled... And Blake giggled as they walked out...

* * *

 ** _AN:Well, hope you guys enjoyed the little interaction chapter. Expect more of these to further flesh out the RWBY/JPDE Characters and the UNSC Characters present and building their relationships, because we gotta have that, amirite?_**

 ** _Anyways, say hello to the newest Ship that I am thinking about building up..._**

 ** _Rule 34..._**

 ** _Yes. Because Blake being Lewd is in her character, with what she reads. And Sam's ID Tag number is 034. Thank you for this meme, dear FF net/Discord friend I shan't mention the name of for the sake of keeping his memery safe._**

 ** _Anyways... See y'all later..._**

 ** _Johnnieboy out._**


	15. Discovered

John looked over the data gathered from the multitude of Spartans and Marines present. He then tapped his helmet and spoke "Cortana... You mentioned something when the multitude of IFF Tags first popped up around Vale... Care to tell us what it is?" As he saw Sam and the others join up with him on the Balcony once more. Cortana flashed onto his Scroll, then nodded.

"Thought you'd never ask." She grinned. "I'll put it short, sweet and blunt, kids... It's a Forerunner structure. It's been powered on for the past few days, sending us and everyone we've already acquired through what seems to be a realm of Slipspace we didn't know anything about. If you recall the Composer, Chief... I have a few theories." before crossing her arms.

"Go ahead." He gave a nod, watching as Sam, Cal, Daisy, Linda and Kelly took seats in front of him. The AI spun about the image of a Forerunner item she'd probably retrieved from the _Mantle's Approach_ database. It was a pillar-like structure similar to those on Halo. The Plasma-ejecting systems that allowed the ring to fire or to cease the fire process. But this one seemed... Different. It had antennae and several protrusions resembling coffins... Cortana grinned as she saw the Spartans' eyes go wide... She let the image float above the table.

"This is a Forerunner Decomposition Station. The second part of the Composer itself... Meant to allow for composed creatures to be reformed via a Slipstream Time-Space phenomenon that's quantum physics of a degree Humanity has not even thought about... It's a whole set of Slipspace matrices and items that I can't comprehend... And I'm still processing how it de-aged us... But it has a definite link to our arrival here."

"... So the second half to the Composer helped us survive... And revived our long-dead friends and some that still stand." Sam noted, rubbing his chin.

"With Forerunner technology, this isn't far-fetched... But you said it's the second half of the Composer... How did it affect us, since we aren't composed?" Kelly questioned, surprised. "Same for the others, who weren't composed but died. Look at Sam... He doesn't look like he's been composed." She then leaned to Cortana, who gave a nod and shrugged.

"I am still figuring it out... I'd need physical access to the Station's computer to be able to figure out what happened. Right now, it's just speculation going from a malfunction in the Slipspace matrices to Chief's... Forerunner-given gifts." Cortana answered. And all gazes turned to John, now. The Spartan nodded, then sighed as Cortana spoke "We'll find a way to get to that station... And we probably don't want Ozpin or any Remnant native involved with it for now."

"Agreed." The Spartans nodded.

"We have Foe Hammer, if you want to go check that thing soon." Cortana offered. "Grab a Spartan squad and go investigate it... Tomorrow, perhaps?"

"I've got classes to attend... In the weekend, perhaps on Sunday." The Chief noted. "It'd be odd if I just went absent without leave... As much as I'd like to leave you to scout it out, something may go wrong. Whatever Cypher the Librarian has given me will help us pass through..." He then spoke. The others nodded and Sam sighed, then said "This Sunday it is."

The Spartans all looked to Chief. He spoke calmly "Dismissed." Before standing up and walking into the dormitory. The Spartans all walked out, bidding him good night as he took off his armor and set himself into his bed. Leaning his head back into his pillow, the Chief felt, for the first time in forever, that he needed to sleep and sleep good. The situation was hard to wrap his head around.

The next day came without much fuss. Chief had slept well, surprisingly enough. As he got into his Beacon uniform, he saw the girls preparing to move too, smiling. Evelyn turned to him and winked and Penny also looked to him, a smile on her freckled face. He nodded to them, then arranged his collar. The four walked out together after what felt like a long time ago...

"So..." Jack started, leaning her head on her hands "How're your teammates?"

"The Spartans? They're fine... Adapting to Beacon." He noted, calmly.

"Glad to hear, partner. I've been talking to Penny and Evelyn, by the way. I've got ideas to help raise our team's cohesion." Jack offered. "Whaddaya think, Chief? Up for a few training runs?" And the Spartan gave a nod, before saying "Sounds like a good idea. Increasing Cohesion helps not just in combat." and looking ahead as they entered the classroom for Grimm lessons.

No seats together again...

* * *

 _ **In Vale**_

Sergeant Johnson was out for his second day of shopping. Marching down the road, the SGTMAJ simply gazed around for items on a predetermined list. Specifically, Food for the base. A Farmers' Market was in town, thankfully enough. And Ozpin was kind enough to provide them with money to spend on basic amenities. The Warehouse would quickly come up to be a new Spartan home. He had a gut feeling something was gonna go wrong.

The man walked into the Market, set on a boulevard that was blocked to cars. So a short trip inside allowed the man to look over the foodstuffs that needed to be bought... "Thank God Remnant has similar food names to Earth..." He muttered to himself, chompin' on one of his Sweet Williams cigars. Stopping in front of the butcher's stand, he started picking out meats to buy...

"Some porkchops, bacon, about as much as you can stuff in a bag and..." He started, looking up at the man and taking a moment as he saw the frightened butcher gawking at something behind him. The Marine Sergeant spun about, to see a bunch of animal-lookin' fellows clad in white uniforms, with black hoods and strange Grimm asks. Johnson sighed "Aw, shit." and frowned. His gut feeling was right. The bastards were packing heat.

"Oi. You there." One of'em said to Johnson. The Marine's right brow quirked up and he pointed at himself. The bastard growled and said "Yes, you! Got any cash with you, buddy?" quite jovially, grinning. Johnson seemed confused, but he gave a nod. Walking up to the Marine Sergeant, the lead of the group, apparently, placed a hand on his shoulder and said "How about ya hand us the cash and scram. Trust me, we need it more than you do."

"Not really." The Marine Sergeant said "And if you're trying to mug me, you assholes are doing it so poorly, it's not even worth it."

"What did you say, punk-" The White Fang member's tirade was cut off by Johnson delivering a swift uppercut in the jaw, sending the bastard sky-high with broken teeth. He landed about three feet away from Johnson, all whilst his compatriots watched. The Marine withdrew his shotgun, racked it and told the WF members "Please, don't mug the old man. And do get off my lawn." with a snarky grin. The White Fang troopers got scared... Probably rookies... And went to grab their lead, dragging him out of the place. Johnson smirked, cigar still between his lips, as he lowered his shotgun... And he woke up with the applause of a dozen people at the fair.

The Sergeant gave a nod to everyone, then slung his shotgun on his back and walked back to the butcher, who'd readied the items on Johnson's list with a smile. The Sergeant leaned on the counter and asked "I presume nobody likes that bunch of morons. They try mugging in broad daylight before?" to which the man chuckled and nodded "Aye, sir. Everyone hates the Fang bunch, but none had the balls to stand up to them before. At least nobody normal."

"Oh?" Johnson raised a brow. "Well, I'm also gonna guess that these 'Fang' boys have an organization or something? Or, are they a simple gang?"

"Sir, they've an organization. The White Fang is the Faunus Rights Activist organization turned terrorist. Thieves and bastards, the lot of'em, spitting on the good names of the Faunus." The man spoke in a tirade. Johnson nodded, then took his groceries and handed the man a Lien card. Which the man graciously declined, then said "You stopped those guys from doing anything to our fair. I don't think there's a need for you to pay, my dear man. Just gotta ask your name."

"Avery Johnson." The Sergeant Major smirked, tipping his hat "I know it's a weird name for you Vale folk, but trust me, it's a good name for us at home."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, mr. Johnson. Have a fine day." The Butcher nodded to the man, who gave a mock salute and walked toward the bullhead landing, jovial and waiting to tell the others about this 'White Fang' bunch.

* * *

 ** _Combat Class_**

A class that had just begun, anyways... Miss Goodwitch was teacher and John thought this would mean actual sparring. It _was_ actual sparring, but first, new classmates... Walking in a neat row of four, Linda, Daisy, Cal and Kelly stepped inside, smiling and clad in their PT Gear, sans the UNSC Insignia that usually resided on the left straps of the black tank tops, now only bearing the SII Program markings. A similar situation with their combat pants. John heard a few whistles in the class, some from boys, some from girls... And whispering.

"Gods, look at those hips!"

"I wish I could have that sort of form!"

"That Faunus one, though. Damn."

Evelyn snorted, before looking to John and whispering "Looks like your friends are quite popular." And she knew very well why. The Spartans had the forms of Olympic Athletes. Kelly alone had a great runner's form, with wide hips and a nice... Hind area. Cal and Linda had a bust size to die for and Daisy had a good combo of both. Not to big, not too small... Together, the Spartans looked like _Valentina Secrets_ models, not combat-ready soldiers.

"Jeez..." Jack said, looking at herself "I suddenly feel inadequate..."

"Ahem..." Glynda cleared her throat. "Ladies and gentlemen. As you can clearly see, we have four more new students joining us. They are friends of team JPDE's and all come from a similar military background to mr. Braun. It is apparent that he and these ladies have worked together before, so... Please, do give a warm welcome to team LILAC, formed of Linda Pravdin, Daisy Valentine, Cal Viene and Kelly Shaddock."

"... There's no L, I or A in that combination... Oz is really fond of pulling these kinds of things, isn't he?" Jack asked Evelyn, who nodded. Linda stepped up to the plate and scanned the classroom, trying to find adjacent seats, but only found separated ones. She looked to the girls and whispered something, then turned to miss Goodwitch and nodded, before crossing her arms.

"Ma'am, we'd like to be the first to spar, if that isn't a problem." The Sniper offered.

"I would've expected as such, considering you came, wearing PT uniforms." Glynda answered "Very well... Should we do it in a partner on partner fight? Or do you have anything in mind, miss Pravdin?" as Linda eyed a set of four annoying bastards who hadn't stopped speaking since the start of the lesson and were grinning. One of them winked at Cal mockingly... And the Spartan with wolf traits narrowed her eyes into slits. Linda bit her lower lip, then grinned and pointed at the four of team Cardinal... And said "Cal. Think you can take'em?"

"Oh, no problem. With or without armor?" The Spartan girl asked, stepping up beside Linda and crossing her arms with a grin. That got the head bastard ahead riled up. He stood up from his seat, despite protests from one of his friends, as he stepped down to greet Cal face-to-face. He grinned deviously, then said "You should step off, dolly. I and my boys aren't pushovers."

"No, but you sure make yourselves look like fools." Cal nonchalantly answered, making the entire class flinch. "So, what, only you have a pair big enough to challenge a girl to a fight? Wow... Your friends really must be cowards." She then quipped. The man gritted his teeth, then called over his three mates. All of them looked all the more moronic... Cal grinned "Now... This may actually be a fair fight."

"Miss Viene, are you sure?" Glynda raised a brow.

"I'll be fine, ma'am." She answered. "I'm not wearing armor... You can, if you want. Gotta give you every advantage I can."

"You'll regret mocking us by the time we're done with you, mutt." Cardin growled.

"Mister Winchester! Language!" Glynda warned him, stepping in-between them. She looked to Cal and said "Amphitheater. 15 minutes from now. Grab whatever you need and meet at the entrance." before stepping off. Winchester and his friends made the slitting throat sign, signaling to Cal she was dead... The girl chuckled, then cracked her knuckles deviously... The entire class stood up and filed out of the room, to move toward the new battleground...

The Amphitheater was just as big as John had left it. But now, it was occupied. And in the middle resided Cal and the Four Tardinals. Professor Goodwitch sat in front of both parties, with a Scroll Tablet... She rolled over the data and then tapped the ready up signal. A red hologram appeared overhead... It then flashed yellow and Cal took a ready-up combat stance that Chief recognized as Krav Maga. And finally, the Green came...

Cal held position when Cardin first charged her. He was in full battle armor and with his mace out while Cal was simply wearing her training fatigues and using her fists...

 ** _-Play Round One:RvB OST-_**

That didn't mean she was defenseless...

Winchester's first strike was a poor attempt at hitting Cal over the head with the Mace. She grabbed the weapon by its no-explosive shaft, twisted Winchester's arm and quickly followed up with a punch that sent Cardin spinning across the floor. She then dodged a stab from one of the other bastards, grabbed the knife he had with his hand and proceeded to use it against him, stabbing him in the armor and detonating a small dust cartridge in the dagger, thus disarming and throwing the man to the floor. She had his knife when a third, with a gun-sword, came toward her. She used the Knife to stop the attack... And with a growl and a glare that could kill tanks, the man before her barely had time to soil himself as Cal drop-kicked him into the hardlight shield separating the fight from the main stands.

"Holy _shit_!" Evelyn grinned, looking to the other three girls of team Lilac and spouting out happily "This isn't even a spar anymore! It's a slaughter!" to which the trio smirked. Daisy yelled "Kick their asses, Cal! Show'em what we're made of!" and received a mock salute and a wink from the platinum-haired Spartan, before the woman dodged another of Cardin's strikes. This one, an explosive attack, hit the ground hard and broke some tiling, but the Spartan was quick to deliver her own brand of strike, punching Cardin across his left cheek and once again sending him spinning.

She then delivered a sudden flurry of punches across his armor, all of which coordinated with dodging the attacks from his teammates. Halfway into the match, Cal was already dominating the bastards and she hadn't even broken a sweat. Their Auras were in the red and Glynda felt like she should stop the match... Sighing, the woman did, walking up between them and saying "Match over. Miss Viene is the winner!"

Cheers erupted across the hall. And Cardin glared...

Before he and his team dropped, half-asleep, to the ground. The cheering intensified at that. And Glynda smiled and nodded to Cal, patting her on her shoulder. The Spartan stretched, then nodded as Bell Rang. As the Spartans walked out, Cal was suddenly swarmed by a group of fangirls, among which a brown-haired bunny girl, with a camera. Team Lilac chuckled at the sight and John himself had crossed his arms, watching the events unfold as Cal was... Basically signing autographs at this point. She was awkward and had no idea what the hell was going on, but she was doing it.

"Didn't think Cal had it in her to become an Idol." Daisy quipped.

"Me neither." John shrugged.

... Penny took a moment to regard Dylan/John as he talked with the girls... Then quickly slipped away toward their room. She took a shortcut she'd found a while back and moved inside the Apartments, then inside the room, to see his armor on a stand beside their combined beds... She swallowed, then took out a device from her backpack and activated it, linking it to a neural lace on the back of her neck via a wire... She then started a scan from the top of the helmet, slowly going down with the device in her hand... And as she reached the midway point of the helmet, close to the neck joint, her Scroll froze... She gasped and tapped a few buttons on it... Before taking the wire out of her link and tossing it aside... A voice came over.

"What do you think you're doing?" The woman's voice said... And Penny gasped.

"Who are you!?" The little ginger asked.

"I asked first, Penny... What the hell are you doing with the scanner?" The voice spoke bluntly and seriously, with a hint of anger. Penny tossed the scroll onto her bed as its holographic projectors were manipulated, for a tall, sky-blue avatar of a woman. She had both hands on her hips and seemed to be glaring at Penny, which scared the girl. That... That was an AI. And from the looks of things, a pretty smart one... "So, _Penny Polendina_... Gonna answer? Or do I have to hack directly into Atlas' mainframe to get my answers?"

The little Ginger stared on... Fearful...


	16. This one goes to 17

"Talk to me, kid." Cortana stood there, arms crossed "Before the others return."

The young Gynoid stared at her taller counterpart with awe... Then smiled and said "Oh, my Gods! YOU'RE AN AI!" Jumping to her feet and surprising Cortana as the girl approached the hologram. The AI nodded awkwardly, still staring at Penny with a questioning glare. She took a moment as she ran through files from the CCTS Network... She froze, then looked to Penny as she pulled up a holographic image of schematics... Of Penny. The young bot took a moment, her smile disappearing, before Cortana took a step toward her.

"... You're an AI too, Penny..." The woman noted, lowering her arms as she frowned.

"... Yes. I am. A Variation thereof." The little girl looked to Cortana. "As... As for why I scanned Dylan's armor... I was ordered by General Ironwood to get as much data as I can off of the Armor set, see what Atlas can do to replicate it... I'm guessing he, too, saw this as too advanced a technological piece for anyone outside of Atlas... Or anyone _within_ Atlas, for that fact, to have built it."

Cortana's frown turned into a scowl "And you wanted to give it to him... To Atlas. Penny, do you have any... _Any_ idea how dangerous this Armor is?"

"No..." Penny responded honestly... The AI faked out a breath, then rubbed her eyes. The little girl really had no idea what a MJOLNIR set would do to an unaugmented human. Much more, to the simple Atlas soldier. Now, if they wanted to mount this onto their Atlas Mechs... Or to other Gynoids like Penny... She shook her head and scoffed, looking up at the ceiling, before turning her gaze to meet Penny's once again... No way in hell would Atlas get this tech... And if she got her hands on Ironwood... She looked over Penny one more time, seeing the girl sort of tremble. A human reaction... She couldn't give away to John that the girl tried to scan the Armor... He'd throw her out. And he promised he'd be her friend... John's first, honest-to-god friend outside of the SII project since Johnson and this was what she was ordered to do...

"Penny..." The girl sighed, then pursed her lips "Let me tell you what the MJOLNIR suit will do... You know Dylan, right? Our big, burly buddy who can kick insurmountable amounts of ass alone. Him and his... Friends... Are Special Forces. Not simple Special Forces like Atlas' own Specialists, but... 'Special' Special Forces." She then took a moment to think how best to formulate this. She watched as the girl listened on, then said "Penny, the MJOLNIR Armor set requires special sets of Augmentations, dubbed 'SPARTAN' Project Augmentations. They're everything from muscular and bone enhancements to neurosynaptic improvements to the human body. Without them... Let's just say the outcome of using a MJOLNIR suit would be _bloody._ "

Penny took a moment to process the new information and make the calculations... Then gasped, staring with surprise at her AI companion, who simply gave a nod, knowing full-well Penny had understood it. The AI continued "Trust me, I've got files upon files of failed attempts at using the MJOLNIR suit without the Augs... It's deadly. And I'd rather nobody in Atlas would die."

"I see..." Penny sighed, then bowed her head "I'm sorry... Please, don't tell Dylan about this. I will tell him in due time, but I do not want him to get upset with me..."

"Hope you do, kiddo..." Cortana noted, crossing her arms as she saw the sad AI sit there... She saw a tear plop to the floor, then gasped "Oh my god, Penny, are you crying?" before walking up to her and looking her in the eyes... Yep, the little bot was crying... And Cortana actually felt bad for the little girl. She spoke to her once again and said "Penny, I won't tell anyone unless it can save lives. I promise you, so please, stop crying."

The little bot girl looked toward the AI, lip trembling, then nodded...

"Good... Now... Uh, Penny, what're you do-..." Cortana felt her files get transferred with one single tap onto the holoscreen. Penny smiled, then looked to Cortana and said "Do not worry, Cortana! I will make this up to you! If you'd... Like to know." to which the AI took a moment to process the transfer... How'd she manage a direct link, only Penny knew... Well, Cortana could find out, but... She gave a simple nod to Penny to continue.

"My father is working on Gynoids like myself to replace the military's current Specialist corps. Infiltration and the likes... And I think he could get you a body similar to mine, with probably more functions than I currently have." Penny offered, smiling as she sat down. "The transfer would only take a moment over a secure line to my father. His and my private line..."

Cortana's eyes glimmered "You... Can get me a body... With which I can feel..."

"And so much more." Penny gave a warm smile again. "Father is a genius. And I'm sure he'd love to do it just to see how it'd go."

"Big man on experiments, then?" The Ai mused absentmindedly, smiling as her processors ran the thought of her being able to feel, to walk, to see without need for a camera or other visual aid... Then she shook her head and looked to Penny and asked, seriously "You truly think your father could get me a body? I mean, I understand he's an inventor, but... How long would it take? And if I have to be there for him to get an idea of how to make the body, how will Dylan not start looking for me?"

"I can keep him from thinking about searching for you for as long as necessary. That or Evelyn could do it." Penny quipped, making Cortana chuckle...

"If you're sure you can keep him and the others from tearing the whole damn school apart to find me... I'd be more than glad to take the offer and surprise him when I come home..." Cortana smiled. Penny gave a nod, then took her Scroll and wrote up a few codes and messages... She locked the Data in, then secured the link and looked to Cortana.

"Ready for transfer?" The Bot asked, still smiling.

"Yep... Hit it." Cortana gave a toothy grin and a nod... And as she blinked, she suddenly felt herself nowhere near Beacon anymore. Looking around her, the woman swam through a sea of data, down what seemed like an emerald tube of zeroes and ones. Around her, she could see the rest of the Remnant Intranet, the Cross-Continental Network, at work. Dozens of terrabytes of data flew through the white space around her and yet were nowhere near enough filling the CCTS's processing power to the brim.

She laughed happily as she swam on through toward the Atlas port ahead, specifically to a linked dataline that lead straight to a laboratory, apparently... The girl arrived with the message data that Penny had sent, only to flash onto a holopad next to a computer. She took a moment to look around the massive robotics laboratory. Seated ahead of her was a man, next to what looked like an operating table. He had ginger hair and wore an Atlas scientist's uniform. Resembling of military ones, but... Alas, still more scientific than army.

His Scroll pinged and he took it out, looking over the data. A middle-aged, ginger-haired man with a beard and 'stache that'd make even the hardiest captain out there wish he had one. He looked back to Cortana, then gave a smile and said "Greetings... Penny was fast. You got here before the message." before standing up. Cortana awkwardly waved to the man as he sat down and looked her over... He had about as piercing a gaze as Halsey's... Oh, this was gonna be fun...

"So... Before we start, miss Cortana, I am Enrico Polendina. Penny's father, so to speak." The man introduced himself. "Penny told me she'd need you back at least by the weekend, so I've got just about enough time to make you the new body and get you acclimatized... Though she's asked for some upgrades. I will keep them a surprise for until the Body gets built, but for now, all you need to know is that they'll add a lot more to the way people see you. The operation to switch you from my computer to the body will be quick and all I have to do is add the extra layers of synthetic skin and the upgrades Penny suggested for you, since the Endoskeleton behind me is all ready."

"... Alright? Thanks..." was all Cortana could say... The man's brain ran, no joke.

"Jolly good." The man straightened up, then clapped twice "I'll get to it... You can browse my film list while we wait. I think you'll find a show called gen:LOCK quite entertaining, miss Cortana." and turned back to work. He was on some special kind of brew, this guy... Oh, well, while she waited, she may as well... Sitting down, Cortana flicked through a series of movies on the man's computer, excitedly waiting to see the result of Doctor Polendina. The girl quote unquote 'took a seat' as to watch the show. 6 Episodes. Not much to go through.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Beacon FOB, team LILAC marched on-deck. The camp was going along nicely. The storehouse was turned into a large, multilevel encampment made of thick, resistant Plywood and steel beams for support, with training rooms below, while quarters were above. NOBLE Team was in the hand-to-hand combat room. Six, specifically, was clashing with Two. And the girls seemed to be keeping pace with each-other well enough. Six dodged well on defense and packed a mean punch on offense... But the offense really went to Kat, thanks to that bionic arm.

Six was already partially bruised on her right arm. They were fighting without armor, while some Marines watched them go at it, cheering them on. Cal was the first to give the girls a nod, before turning to see Foe Hammer patching together something. The base was rather warm, as they hadn't set up proper climate controls or heaters and coolers, so the woman wore her flight coat around her waist, left only in a black tank top. Her short brown hair was caught in a bun on the back of her head and her hazel eyes looked over an item from aboard the Pelican. Specifically, a Nuke...

"Oh, hello, girls." Carol noticed them walk up to her, smiling. "I was just looking over the Nuke here."

"We saw... What's it doing in-base?" Daisy asked, a hint of worry in her otherwise calm voice.

"Y'see, girls, there's an issue with it... All the fissile material inside's gone inert." The woman answered calmly. "Meaning this thing is a dud right now. I've looked over it and no rads were being emitted, so yeah... It's a good bluff tool if we ever need it, but no use to us without actual materials to smash together... If Cortana was around, she could probably concoct something from this Dust stuff."

The girls shuddered for a moment... Gravity nuke or Ice nuke...

"We can ask Chief to get her over if need be, but... I'm gonna be honest with you, Carol..." Linda said, kneeling beside the nuke herself "I don't think we really need the Nuke just yet. May not need it at all. Sure, it's good to have a backup, but for now, I don't think we wanna risk absolute nuclear winter in Beacon." before standing up and showing the girls to follow. A lot was going on around the place... Hell, temporary command had even set up a mess hall, a gym and the likes. Ozpin's school must've really been making money off this stuff.

... Oh, well...

* * *

 ** _AN:Sorry for the short chapter. This was moreover a snippet of an interaction between Characters and to set up another plot point that comes in the future..._**

 ** _I can tell you more later ;)_**

 ** _But for now, this is it. 'till next time, y'all._**


	17. Operation:WINTER FOXTROT Part 1:Recon

Cortana sat idly in her terminal as Doctor Polendina had taken a lunch break... She looked over data packets she'd stowed for personal reading as she finished the last released episode of gen:LOCK... Pulling up some schematics and data from almost 500 years ago, the AI ran into something interesting... A line in the files, the final line of data sent by the robot, said " _My battery is low... And it's getting dark."_ She read over the files as she pulled them up nanoseconds apart from each-other... One word repeated through all of them, all NASA files she had on stand-by for a while, for some reason... _OPPORTUNITY._

... The Opportunity Rover. Death date February 18th, 2019.

Current date... 13th February 2556. By just-completed simulations, she could have the AI done by the 18th... She pulled up a data file and enlarged it... All of Opportunity's discoveries since her landing. She smiled as she saw how the little thing reported every bit of data she had. That final line somehow tugged at... What felt like an actual heartstring for a moment. She smiled as she saw the robot's work... Hmm, could she? Could she make a personality? An AI?

Starting up the code writing for OPPY 1.0, Cortana simply grinned... Aye, she could do that if she wanted to. She slid the blueprints of the rover aside, focusing mostly on Oppy's personality data for start. She started compiling a personality from scratch around the discoveries made by the little 'bot and the desire of continuation for such explorations... Cortana smiled, then murmured to herself "How did I _not_ know I could build my own little AI companions?"

She built the AI's little body, core and personality, strand by strand. Data by data, along each line and piece of information she had about Opportunity's 15 year mission on Mars, smiling as she saw a small bit of life pulsate in its core... _Her_ Core... while she worked on her. With the smile withstanding, Cortana continued writing up each line of the AI's Cortex, copying bits of her own personality into the AI's matrix... She'll be born a 'Dumb' AI, since she was made by what's basically a humanized computer. The Core, the AI's heart and brain matrix, pulsated again with life.

Humming an ages-old song written for Tolkien's famed series, the _Song of Durin_ , as a lullaby for the AI that was to be born before her, but a child now in AI terms. This would still take a good few hours, if not a day or two. Nevermind that, she still wanted to try her hand at it, humming on... She noticed Doctor Polendina looking at her, then asked "Uh... May I help, sir?"

"Miss Cortana... What are you doing?" He asked, curious.

"Uh... Just trying my hand at something, Doctor." Cortana answered swiftly. He raised his brow, then nodded for Cortana to go on... And she awkwardly pursed her lips, before speaking in what came to be known as Weebspeak on Remnant, as slowly as possible "Trying to make my own Kawaii AI Daughteru?" to which she saw the man ponder for a moment...

"Can I help?" He asked, now bearing a light grin on his face...

"Not for now, Doctor..." The woman answered swiftly. Humans... Full of surprises...

"Will she require a body?" He then asked.

"..." She took a moment to ponder it "You'd do that?" She then smiled.

"If not me, then who else, miss Cortana?" The man noted. "I can have a second endoskeleton ready by tomorrow if need be... And if I work without sleep breaks, while eating in my lab. I'll ask my assistant to keep the Atlas army away from my door for now." He then nodded to the girl "Plus, I have a kitchenette nearby if I need to make myself food. So I can pull an all-nighter to get most of the items needed finished."

Cortana couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Doctor... I think I and my friends owe you one hell of a debt."

"Poppycock. I'm doing this for my daughter and friends of hers." He smiled "You owe me nothing but keeping close to my daughter. And forgiveness for what the General asked her to do, AKA Spy on you." he noted, turning back to his work on the 'enhancements' requested by Penny. Cortana sighed, then smiled and nodded, turning back to working on the AI and humming the song again...

She wondered how John was doing...

* * *

 ** _Back in Vale._**

Chief was sitting in the Halls near the classrooms, looking at his scroll... He got no ping from Cortana for the last 5 hours. Now that classes were over, he'd have to go and check if she was alright. For the first time in his life, as he walked down the corridors of a simple building meant to teach children, the Spartan felt a sense of unease. A deep pit in his stomach formed and for the first time in his life, he was genuinely _worried..._

Well, there were other times, but those were easy to deal with... This time, on a world that, aside from a few creatures, was supposedly safe? Chief didn't know what happened, but for now hoped Cortana was simply on sleep mode. Or she forgot... No, she wouldn't forget or sleep. She never slept. She always worked on something to keep herself busy, but had enough processing power...

Quickening his walking pace, the Spartan aimed for the halls that lead to the dorms. For the fiftieth time today, he tried and spoke in whisper to the Scroll "Cortana? Come in, Cortana." and yet again got no response. Sighing, he pocketed the device and continued walking to the Dorm. She'd been silent for more than enough. The trip to the dorm was short, but still felt like an eternity. Walking toward the door, the Spartan tried to prop it open... Before it opened by itself, to reveal Penny, who seemed to be smiling. "Ah! Greetings, Dylan! I was just coming to find you!"

The Spartan raised a brow... "You were?"

"Yes! Quite! I must show you something positively endearing I have just found!" The girl said, taking him by the hand and closing the door behind her.

"W-Wait, Penny, I-" Chief didn't have enough time to say anything as she dragged him along. Curious... "Penny, I needed to verify something about my armor. Can this wait?"

"Oh, no, I'm afraid not, Dylan! It is imperative you come with me now!" The girl said sternly... Then hiccuped... John squinted at the girl. He couldn't tell her what was going on. Cortana was meant to be a secret. But she knew something. Her hiccups usually showed up during moments of stress for her, so he kept that in mind. The girl took him out of the halls and dorms to the Beacon courtyard, only to lead him past the tower toward a more modern building... As they strolled in, Penny smiled and said "This is it! I found a Gym!"

"... Uhm..." The Spartan uttered, looking about that the neatly-arranged rows of treadmills, weights, mats and other such gym-standard items. "It... Seems pretty standard for a school to have a gym, Penny." He then stated almost in a deadpan... Penny took a moment, seemingly surprised, then scratched her chin and nodded. She shrugged and looked to the man, giving him puppy eyes and a smile.

"I figured if you needed somewhere to train or just get your mind of things, you would wish to go here, Dylan. So I wanted to bring you to it." She confessed, rubbing the back of her neck... The Spartan sighed, then nodded and said "Thank you... I'll keep the place in mind..." Hell, he could use some training now... Penny saw him staring at one of the treadmills... Then thought...

"Didn't Yang also offer to have sparring matches with you, Dylan?" She spoke aloud... "I saw her heading into the combat classroom... May I suggest taking up on her offer? Her form seems a bit off, so she may require training and who better to get it from than a soldier of your caliber!" She wanted to take her mind off of Cortana... That was clear... Why, he didn't know. He'd find out later... For now, she was right. Yang was all about brash, heavy attacks...

"You have a point, Penny... I'll get to that." He said, turning to leave. Penny smiled and cheered silently to herself... "However..." And she stopped as the Spartan turned about, his handsome features turning even more serious "I hope you aren't hiding anything important from me, Penny... Because if you are, I will find out." He warned. Yet he didn't seem angry. "Are you hiding anything?" He then asked. Penny swallowed, then shook her head quickly, blushing... He hummed, then nodded and walked off "I'll be training miss Xiao-Long. If my team-mates or other Spartans are looking for me, tell them."

... In another part of Beacon, Spartan-B312 took a stroll through what seemed to be a large botanical garden. The flowers were in bloom... A wave of color and beauty surrounded a serene room. Above her, a holographic dome displayed lazily-hanging thin clouds with a sun just behind her. She walked one of the paved paths, looking at streams of water and small fountains that ran through the place. Even birds chirped around her. Small creatures flew about from tree branch to tree branch... Beacon's Botanical Garden was actually a small ecosystem all on its own. And it was pretty cool to see...

Weapon stowed on her back, Six knelt by a flowerbed of dandelions. The golden flowers formed a small dome of their own around their patch of dirt. A whole bush sat, its yellow tops aimed toward the artificial sunlight. The place was as peaceful as it came. A far cry from Reach's thundering battlefields and burning cities. As the girl held onto her knees, curled up in a ball and seated on the pavement, she removed her helmet and set it aside. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she felt the scent of each flower around her... Indeed, a portrayal of peace...

Opening her eyes and nuzzling her nose between her knees, she watched the dandelion flowers weave in the breeze that found its way inside. She longed for a moment of peace during the battles for reach. She'd yearned so much for peace after every death she'd seen. Even as a Spartan, Noble Six knew well enough of war and peace. And knew what she'd fought for. She'd gotten stories from Sergeant Avery Johnson and other Marines about how her sacrifice... How the sacrifice of her team, was not in vain in the end. Humanity had won the war. She sat, recalling the battles...

... The young Spartan began humming a slow song as she watched the flowers weave and dance. She extended her hand toward one of the flowers and plucked it, bringing it close. First Contact. Winter Contingency, SWORD... The assault on the Covenant spires, the _Solace_... UPPERCUT. She blinked. The return to Sword, the _Autumn_ and finally... Finally, her lonely death...

The flower in her hands was bright. Golden. Shining like the sun... A new hope.

She felt someone watching her. Squinting and glancing to her left, she saw someone with a camera standing in the shadow of a tree. Standing up quickly and dropping her flower, the woman's hand went to her hip. She drew her handgun and aimed it... "Come out!" She spoke sternly... The figure panicked, looking about, then pointed at herself. Six gave a sharp nod, before waving her forward from the shadow. She had a pair of straight rabbit ears matching her hair color. Brown hair... Brown eyes... And she had a Beacon student's uniform. Six sighed deeply, stowing her handgun on her hip, then picked up her helmet and said "It's rude to stare and take pictures without asking permission..."

"Sorry!" The cutesy little bunny girl spoke in an Australian accent, blushing. "It's just, you seemed so peaceful and, in this setting, what looks like an armored warrior finally getting her moment of peace was something I couldn't resist taking a picture of! It was a moment of artistic weakness! I'm really, really sorry!" She apologized continuously, bowing and looking at the ground... The Spartan raised a brow...

She shook her head, then said "Relax, common mistake... Does Beacon have a photography class?" she scratched her chin. The girl's eyes raised from the floor and she shook her head, still embarrassed. The Spartan looked at the woman's camera and took a moment... "Then... I presume your weapon and semblance are related to the Camera. Interesting..." before receiving a quick three nods from the girl. For what she acted, Six could tell the girl was the humble type. Placing her left hand on her hip, the woman nodded, then said "Alright... Let's try introducing ourselves, then. I'm Lieutenant Alice." and extending her hand.

"V-Velvet Scarlatina, ma'am..." The girl took Six's hand weakly and shook it. "And sorry again!"

"It's okay. As I said, common mistake... Do you mind showing me the pictures?" The Spartan then asked. Velvet... Well, her eyes almost immediately lit up, her ears perking up and a smile appearing on her face as if asking 'really?'. Six gave a nod, then leaned in, watching as the girl pulled up the images on the back screen of the surprisingly wooden camera... Pictures of a profile view of her holding the flower, of her sitting and staring at them. And she'd caught, either by accident or by her own keen eye, the artificial sun shining down a beam of light toward her. "Wow..." The Spartan's eyes went wide "These are very good, Velvet. You've got a good eye for photography."

"Really?!" The bunny girl asked, turning to Six with the happiest, sweetest look of joy ever on her face. Six nodded.

"Honestly, Velvet, you could do this professionally." The Spartan said "The color composition is just right and every small detail can be seen, though it... Well, this may sound a bit egotistical considering I'm it, but it doesn't detract from the centerpiece of the image. You caught me in a melancholy moment and you could see that in every small bit of the picture."

"Thank you so much, ma'am!" The girl's smile remained.

"No problem. Hey, think you can teach me a few tri-" The woman cut off, turning as she heard footsteps. Heavy ones... She recognized them as Spartans and turned to see them. Noble Team had come up for her in full combat gear. That usually meant trouble... She turned to them, then saluted. Carter gave a salute back and nodded to her, then to Velvet. Turning his gaze back to the Spartan, he spoke.

"Six, we've got a job now. Sergeant-Major Johnson told people at base about a possible set of hostiles on the planet. It was backed up by two of Jorge's former teammates, Daisy-023 and Cal-141. Some sort of Insurrectionists, apparently related to the Faunus population. They're pretty hostile. Shot at Daisy and Cal. We'll brief you on the flight over to Vale."

"Yes, sir." Six nodded to them, sliding her helmet on her head. She turned to Velvet and said "Catch you another time, Velvet."

"Sure thing, ma'am! Good luck!" Velvet nodded back to her, smiling. Six stepped off to join Noble Team in formation, drawing her DMR off her back and checking her rigging for ammunition. She was good for ammo for now, but she thought it'd mostly be a scouting mission for the time being. Knowing full-well that's what it'd be, the girl also knew they'd be going out during dark... And she was right. The sun had set, now replaced by a starlit sky.

"We taking the Pelican for this one, sir?" Kat asked, readying herself.

"Yeah. Foe Hammer was kind enough to let us fly out with her for a scouting job. Spartans 023 and 141 will be joining us as well." Carter noted as he too checked his gear. "She'll be waiting for us by the Landing Pad. As far as I understood from Sergeant Johnson and the two Spartan-IIs, as well as from some short Remnant Internet search the _White Fang_ , as they're called, is a former civil rights Organization turned violent extremist group. And locally, they've been raiding Dust stores and transports through intermediary criminal groups or through their own Militia units. They're reportedly armed to the teeth."

"This a Recon op, sir?" Jun inquired next.

"Yes. We'll be splitting up. Two Spartans in each team. Three pairs from Noble, a squad of Marines and 141 and 023. Two, you're with me. Three, four, together. Five, Six, tag along. Watch your fire and don't engage unless fired upon directly." Carter spoke as they made headway to the waiting Pelican. Her engines spooled and hummed with familiarity as the Spartans boarded into the back, on the Blood Tray, to find Johnson, seated with the others.

"Noble." Nodded the two Spartan-II girls aboard, holding close MA5Bs with fresh mags. As the Spartans found their seats, the bird's engines flared and roared. Foe-Hammer turned back and gave a thumbs up, before receiving one back from Johnson. The Sergeant looked to NOBLE Team and said "You're the ones who kept the _Autumn_ safe for us to get the hell off Reach. Thanks for that! We can hold a party after we're done, though." and he gave the all-clear signal for the bird to take off... Dusting off from the pad, the aircraft surged out and forward into the lit skyline of Vale, moving under the Radar as fast and as silently as possible... To their first targets... The Industrial Sector and local bases.


	18. Operation WINTER FOXTROT Part 2:Active

**_Vale..._**

Above the buildings, the Pelican moved at best speed toward the operation area. The Spartans and Marines made final preps for touchdown. First base up was Jorge's and Six's. Racking the bolt of her DMR and sliding it on her back, whilst also cocking back the hammer of her Magnum, the girl stood up, readying herself for deployment... Jorge hauled his huge-ass HMG meanwhile, seemingly ready to engage quite a lot of targets.

"A bit heavy for a scout mission, don't you think?" Six quipped.

"Sorry, missus specialist. I like to be prepared." The man returned cockily, patting the gun. Six nodded, then looked as the green light flashed and the vehicle went into hover. She jumped out first, landing on her knees and aiming her handgun around. She felt soft mud below her feet and her Helmet's filters had just begun working. Whirring away in her helmet as they took out what seemed to be toxic gas...

People walked around with masks on their faces. And from the data showing on her helmet display, they were where they needed to be. One of the slums in the Industrial Sector. Moving up a bit as a heavy _thunk_ came from behind her, Six had narrowly avoided Jorge's drop. The man readied his MG and scanned the surrounding area... Smoke was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Let's go." Six said "I'm taking point... Radio silence."

She drew her DMR and looked back, to receive the slightest of nods from Jorge... And with sleight of foot that Six was unaware the heavy-duty Spartan-II possessed, they left the Infiltration Point and entered the alleyways. Scanning the walls and run-down buildings, over which the black chimneys of the Factories could be seen barely through the smoke, the duet made their way as guided by intel. Taking a left, Six found herself walking face to face with what appeared to be a group of people... Six humans and five Faunus. Men and women alike... And they seemed surprised the young Titan was in front of them. She lowered her rifle, then showed them to stay calm.

The eyes of the humans... They were afraid... And the Faunus behind them? Six tilted her head slightly and saw them... White Fang masks. Quickly maneuvering behind them without a hint of worry, the woman had taken out all 5 Fangers in less than 5 seconds and waved the people on, all while Jorge caught up. He looked at the corpses, their necks snapped and deep cuts from a knife as the reasons of death, then turned to Six, who cleaned her knife on a corpse and slid it back into the sheath.

She turned to him, then showed to follow. Continuing on a traced path, the Spartans kept their weapons at the ready, scanning each corner and rooftop and only seeing people milling about in the apartment complexes that looked like old World War 2 buildings... Thankfully, minus the rubble for now. Soon, they saw it. An old, abandoned complex of warehouses and factory buildings... And beside them, an apartment block that looked right over the fence. Six found a side ladder and began to climb it, with Jorge hanging out down below while she scouted the place out.

Getting to the roof and crouching behind some rails, Six set up her DMR, taking off the normal scope and sliding on a thermal one, to cut through the smoke and fog. She clipped the scope onto the rail, pocketing the other one, then looked down the thermal imagery into the complex. It was of similar design to the Rail Station that Daisy and Cal had raided by mistake. Including the fact there was an actual marshaling yard for trains. Thermal showed at least fifteen guards outside. Sixteen more inside one of the guard houses and about 3 dozen split evenly between 3 warehouse buildings, with a final contingent of 10 in the farthest area in the back, in what seemed to be the marshaling yard's abandoned communication tower.

No snipers atop the chimneys or on roofs. Six guessed the smoke must've been unbearable. That, or they only had so many gas masks for the patrolling troops. She eyed a man in the com tower in the far back. He seemed to be talking to three others. Command squad and the guard contingent. Six nodded to herself, waiting a moment to memorize the patrols' routes... She then gazed upon the warehouses one last time. If there was Dust in there and lots of it? One well-placed charge...

She lowered her rifle, then slid it onto her back, before skulking back over to the ladder and sliding down it. She landed behind Jorge and gave him a double-tap on the shoulder. The Spartan-II turned and his III counterpart showed him, via hand signals, what she'd seen. Jorge gave her a quick nod, then showed her to take point again... Their next target was the Exfil. They got the intel they needed. Torch and Burn came later.

* * *

 ** _Beacon... Classroom._**

Strolling into what stood as the Combat Classroom of Beacon, clad in nothing but his gym set. A grey tank top and a pair of black shorts reaching down to the middle of his thigh hugged his frame to the point most of his musculature was theoretically exposed.. He also had a pair of lightweight sneaker shoes. He saw Yang in the middle of the amphitheater's area, next to where the desk would usually be, training... Slow motions meant to be memorized.

Leaning against a wall, the Spartan seemed... Well, not what you'd simply call _buff_ by definition. Everything was tight-toned on the Spartan. Every muscle, every single sinew was a well-oiled cog in the machine that was John/Dylan's body. He waited for Yang to turn about, as she was busy practicing her Katas. And the moment came sooner than she expected. Turning about and pumping a fist forward, she saw him and... Well...

To say she nearly bit the dirt would be an understatement...

The girl slipped, hard and nearly fell, before John caught her, thanks to his quick reflexes... Eyes wide and blushing, the blonde held onto his left arm like it was a life buoy. And by god, with how hard his muscles were, Yang could swear it basically was. She felt the muscles for a moment as the man lifted her to her feet and, well, she didn't want to let go. As he retracted his arm, Dylan raised a brow at her and asked "You doing okay?"

"U-Uhm... Yeah, I'm fine!" Yang chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck as her blush didn't want to fade. Her only thought was the basic... " _Oh, no, he's hot!"_

... Despite the stare, John wanted to actually help Yang train up. She could also help him with Katas since he never really did any sort. Outside that one Krav Maga course. So he offered "You wanted to spar?" to which the girl snapped out of her stupor for a moment, before simply nodding. She knew the Spartan girls were babes... She didn't expect the boys to be this hot! WHY ALL THE ARMOR?! How did one get so buff that their god damn tank-top do this fucking good a job at showing their abs.

... A fucking six-pack worth days too.

Despite John's expectations of a more chatty training session, it was awfully quiet, save for a few Kata instructions, with Yang bearing a surprised look on her face for most of the time. And scarlet cheeks. As he walked off to the exit after the couple-hour session, he gave a nod to Yang and said "I expect, after a few more Kata lessons, we're going to do actual melee." And he received a nod.

"Don't go too rough on me, ya hear, D-Man?" Yang quipped, winking. "Oh, also..." She seemed to freeze up for a moment, realizing... Was she actually and just suddenly gonna ask this guy out? As he turned to her with a raised brow, she spoke quickly and awkwardly "W-Work a bit more on your Nepai Kata! Trust me, it does wonders in Combat!" And yet again, another awkward chuckle.

"Noted." He answered. "Thanks, Yang." and he gave a half-smile to the girl... Possibly the cutest she'd seen to date in a boy...

Oh, God...

Heart... Be still...

Yang swallowed, her face going even redder as she quickly turned about and laughed "Hahaha! No problem, Chief! Sorry, I have to... godealwithsomething!" She yelled, before grabbing her stuff and dashing out... John tilted his head slightly, confused. He took to ignoring it and walked off... Time to return to the dorm and see why Cortana wasn't answering.

As he walked down the halls to his dorm, he yet again felt someone stare at him. Looking back, he saw a flash of movement behind a pillar. With a small rose petal falling... He squinted, then asked rehtorically "Ruby? That you?" as, behind the pillar, a panting Rose, with wide eyes, blushed. Well, that was a second weirdly-acting member of team RWBY... John sighed, then left.

Entering his dorm a few minutes later and seeing nobody around, the Spartan then took the precautions. He looked into every part of the room, kitchen and bathroom included(Knocking before entering the latter) and the Balcony... He walked to his armor and spoke "Cortana..." as he took his helmet from the stand and looked at the back, where the chip resided. He took it out of the helmet's slot and tried to activate Cortana's hologram... But noticed the chip lost its usual shine... Oh, _no._ The Spartan felt his heart skip a beat...

"Cortana, don't play with me now." He whispered, before slotting the chip back into his helmet and taking out his Scroll again... He looked over data from it, trying to find Cortana. Was she trying to prank him? He didn't know... But for now, he'd rather know for sure... He started searching throughout the room, making sure not to derange the way things were set too much. By the time he was done, he'd looked everywhere...

Sitting down on his bed, eyes wide and looking at the Chip, he thought to himself " _I can not lose her_ _again_..."

He stood up, then made a group call on his Scroll and said "Spartans... We've got an issue..."

 _"What's up, John?"_ Kelly asked what everyone else, thought. The silence became unnerving even to Spartans... Chief didn't usually call on an open channel, much less a public phone...

"... It's Cortana..."

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile... On Atlas' streets..._**

The floating isle that housed Atlas' most prominent and rich populace hanged lazily over the clouds of Solitas, whilst the smoke from the Lower City billowed and raised to the sky, its factories working and churning on new Atlesian equipment, including Paladin prototypes. Above, the Atlas Air Fleet, composed of six wings of 12 Air Ships each, set to end its patrol for the day... Until a Radiation spike in the center of the city kicked the hornets' nest.

Rolling to the floor between ivory buildings, tall and architecturally similar to Roman and Greek buildings, onto the white Snow of Solitas, a young woman with short black hair that had a strand of blonde in one of the bangs. She had a tattered labcoat with a blue stripe running from shoulder to shoulder and an ID Card attached to the left breastpocket. Underneath the labcoat were blue lab gowns made up of a short-sleeved blue T-Shirt and a pair of blue pants with large pockets on each side. In her left pocket, she also had half-rimmed glasses in the right pocket...

Standing up and groaning, she spoke to herself "That is what I get for working on Forerunner artifacts..." before opening her eyes. She took a moment of pause, scanning her surrounding area, to see some people staring at her with wide eyes. She dusted herself off, then said "Well, that could have ended much worse." as she patted down her labcoat and looked around... Only to see that strand of blonde hair appear in her vision... She froze, then took the hair with one hand and ran her fingers over it "Impossible..." She muttered and then pulled forward other strands... Black hair... Not greying...

"What?" She asked herself in whisper. "What has happened to me?"

Stopping her quick physical checkup, the woman soon heard the marching of boots. She cocked her head, to see soldiers wearing white armor with blue accents and hauling very boxy rifles marching toward her. The weapons, thankfully, weren't drawn... But she had a feeling she would not want to wind up in the care of anyone outside of the UNSC. So scanning the plaza she landed in, she found a back alley... And took a dash for it... She heard a soldier cry for her to stop while he drew his rifle, but she ignored him, surging forward into the alley. She pushed aside a man and woman and toppled a crate to cover her path, before jumping over an obstacle and taking a turn to the right, deeper into the dark alley.

She took a knee, panting as she looked at herself in a puddle of water from melted snow... She gasped, running a hand over her cheek as she saw herself... Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey had lost much of her age, but not her veterancy or memories... She swallowed, then muttered to herself "Well, this warrants further investigation... But for now, I have to get out of here." before looking around at the alley. Above her, small craft flew with searchlights on. VTOL Capable gunships flew between buildings and... An incredibly large aerial warship.

"... I am _definitely_ not in any ONI prison. Or any EarthGov colony for that matter." The woman spoke, standing up. She knew she'd have to ditch her clothes... The troopers spotted her with them. She took off her labcoat, then grabbed her glasses, setting them on her eyes, before she heard footsteps. Marching footsteps. The white-wearing troopers moved in, scanning the surrounding area with their rifles... A squad of 5. They scattered into the area and a female soldier came right toward Halsey's hiding spot... The good Doctor didn't know what to do... But she felt she had an idea...

Jumping the soldier as she passed her, the doctor covered her mouth and pressed her forearm against her windpipe, not to crush it, but trying to stop air from flowing. The soldier struggled, dropping her rifle and hitting the woman over the arm hard, while Halsey held her other hand away from her pistol/stun gun. Halsey was thankful enough to have learned self-defense methods. If you were a doctor for the UNSC and, more specifically, ONI and were now as infamous as she was, you needed to know to defend oneself... As the soldier struggled less and less, she began to fall asleep... Limp now, knocked out, but not dead, she was clean enough for Halsey to grab her uniform and gear.

Donning the armor, helmet included and grabbing the weapons, before putting her own clothes over the soldier, she stood up. She flicked on the communication system and heard " _Phantom-2-2, Phantom-2-Actual... What's your status? Did you locate the target?"_ over the mic. She looked at her HUD. Her ID Tag was Phantom-2-2... Sighing deeply, the woman shut off the com and looked over the armor for any tracking beacon. She found a small set of chips... Picking them off the armor, she placed them onto the KO'd soldier, then hid her in a dumpster.

She walked out of the alley, into the crowds of the Plaza, trying to act as natural as a woman clad in full body armor could. " _This armor was a bad choice..."_ She thought to herself with contempt " _They'll find me the moment any other of their troopers lays eyes on me or asks me anything. Plus, I don't know this place's layout... I made a calculated choice, but it seems..."_ She sighed deeply as she continued her fake patrolling, praying to... Nobody, that she wouldn't get asked anything.

" _I miscalculated this time."_

* * *

 _ **Back at Beacon... Ozpin's office...**_

 _"Ozpin?"_ James Ironwood's voice came over the phone... He sounded less than pleased. And Ozpin had a feeling he knew why, as he stared at a bit of data from an Atlesian Warship near by Atlas itself. Information traveled fast. Ozpin chuckled as he too knew this must've been another one of the Spartan's allies. And from the looks of things, he stirred up the hornets' nest in Atlas.

"Yes, James?" The Headmaster asked, as bluntly oblivious as can be.

"W _hat happened_...?" The man asked in a low growl.

"I do not know, James... But it seems you've got your own problems." Ozpin quipped. This was too fun to look at. Just a confused James was enough. And he probably knew that, aside from the small army that had amassed near Beacon, he'd have his own crap to deal with now. Ozpin took a calm sip from his coffee, then set the cup down and said "If you could _not_ hurt the person in Atlas, just bring them over, I'd be very keen to understand what happened."

"... _And what if I don't?"_ Ironwood raised a brow.

"I have a feeling, James... Do you really wanna deny what saved us a few hours of annoyance and quite severe casualties a while back unrequited? No? I didn't think so... Bring over the new deployment from Atlas as soon as you can. We can talk here, after all our issues are finished." Ozpin spoke tactfully. "We still have a Festival to organize in Vale, do we not?"


	19. Like Mother Like AI Daughter

... John had begun to comb Beacon with his allies, under the cover of darkness. Stealth was paramount for the operation. While the other searched more remote areas of Beacon, Chief took a stealthy approach in the halls, sneaking about to avoid any patrol that may've been around. Of course, a guy in heavy armor wasn't something you could easily hide in an urban environment or a school, even at night. Still, it was worth a shot.

As he moved around the corners, he began hearing footsteps. Taking cover behind an archway, the Spartan looked at his Motion Tracker and saw the figure that was moving passed by the arch. Then stopped... Heels? He heard a female voice's hum, then heard her walk off. It probably was miss Goodwitch... Doing the night rounds was in her job description... So, as stealthily as the Spartan could, he snuck out toward the Combat Class. It was the last place he remembered donning his armor outside the search for Spartans in the Emerald Forest.

Entering the door after he somehow found it unlocked, he sneaked inside, sliding it closed, before scouring around each row of benches and the teacher's desk. He pulled open drawers and looked under desks and such, praying he'd find any hint of Cortana... A man at Chief's height, leaning forward and looking under furniture was quite a humorous sight...

"A-h _em_..." Miss Goodwitch cleared her throat, making the Spartan somehow jump and slam his head into one of the desks, cracking the wood. His shields flared as he slowly turned about and stood up... "Oh..." He murmured as he saw the woman sitting there with a flashlight in her right hand, her crop in her left and a scroll in her pocket. She was tapping her foot, gazing inquisitively at the Spartan.

... John could only say "I think you will need a new desk..." before the wooden desk cracked and splinters fell to the floor. The Spartan pursed his lips behind his helmet... And as they walked outside and Ms. Goodwitch locked the door, she looked at the man with her brow still raised and arms crossed. The Spartan was still taller than her, but the woman exuded that... Same Drill Sergeant Personality to a degree. Same one as Mendez.

"Care to give an explanation, Master Chief?" She asked calmly.

"I forgot something inside, ma'am. And I couldn't find it anywhere near my seat." The Spartan answered as calmly as any soldier would in this circumstance. Glynda raised a brow and answered him "And you thought the best idea would be to sneak around and try to find that certain 'something' without alerting school staff and during the night, when there's a curfew in effect."

... In hindsight, John hadn't thought it through that well...

Glynda rubbed her eyes as she felt the Spartan's unease, then said "Very well, tell you what, Master Chief... I forget this event ever happened if you go to your room and rest. You can begin searching for that thing you lost tomorrow, since it's Saturday." and looked to the Spartan. Simply receiving a nod from him was good enough, she calmly said "Very well... A good night to you." and walked off.

As the man moved toward the room, he tapped his com and said "Nothing in the halls or combat class... BLUE-2, what've you got?"

" _Nothin' so far, Chief... Cafeteria, Bullhead and Pelican are clear."_ Kelly spoke.

... Damn... "BLUE-3?"

" _FOB Beacon is clear save for our ops. Haven't gone to check Vale, but NOBLE, Daisy and Cal are there with Sergeant Johnson. I'll give'em a call and see what they say."_ Linda offered her answer. John hummed, then nodded and said "Roger that..." as he strolled in. Johnson was gonna tear him a new one for losing Cortana, but that didn't matter... He lost her... He was worried...

 ** _... Meanwhile, with Doctor Halsey..._**

She had plenty more to worry about as she saw more and more patrols marching about. And as she took a left down an alley, to hide... She ground to a halt. Three soldiers were questioning people if they'd seen her. She was careless and the infantrymen got a mugshot of her. Then again, Forerunner issues did send her here, so it was normal for her to have been a tad confused.

Well, not confused enough to do what she'd done earlier. Drop her helmet... As the Guardsmen swiveled about, one of them raised a brow and the other raised her rifle. Halsey's eyes went wide. Hearing a window break and glass crashing around her, the woman ducked into cover as a figure dropped in front of her, then another, smaller figure. She needed to either run or- ** _WAT._**

Wearing a hood and a white and blue bodysuit, the woman ahead was well-developed. She wasn't lacking in any part of the body and the suit, though tight enough to show the curves, was also just loose enough to allow free-range movement... And soon, the woman gasped as she saw a second, smaller figure in front of her, a pair of teal eyes and black hair, as well as a youthful, joyous smile. The taller figure(Taller meaning the little girl in a similar uniform barely reached her well-toned abdomen) pulled out a stun gun and a baton, before saying in a voice Halsey _recognized_ "At ease, boys! We ain't here to fight!"

Seeing them uneasy, fingers twitching on the trigger, the woman kept the pistol close. She looked back to the Doctor and her deep-blue, semi-mechanical eyes went wide. She also had a blue tactical mask on her face... But as she turned about and pulled it down, revealing Halsey a face with similar features to her in her youth. Taking a moment to look over every detail, Halsey felt a chill shoot up her spine for the first time in her life. The tall woman had dark-blue hair that was slightly longer, landing on top of her bodysuit's chest as a string of blue silk. And her body was... Well, nothing to scoff at. It was as if someone had built the perfect woman...

"D-D-Doctor Halsey?!" The woman stuttered, eyes wide...

"... Wait a minute... _Cortana_!?" Halsey's voice bellowed... Staring with disbelief, the doctor poked the woman's cheeks and felt... Flesh... "Sweet goodness, what?! Cortana, is that you!?"

"Greetings, Doc!" Cortana's shocked gaze turned into a grin. The Doctor noticed her hair turned a fainter color of blue as it reached the tips, further going lighter and lighter until it was fully white at the tips. Before she could say anything else, she felt rounds hit her armor. The hardening material inside it pulsed, sending electric shocks through the weaved material... Stun rounds. Cortana growled, then looked down to the little girl in front of her and said "Oppy, could you get the good doctor here in cover? I've got some mean boys to deal with."

"Sure thing, mom!" The little girl said, grabbing a shocked Halsey by the arm and dragging her away... Halsey's first word at hearing that was a " ** _MOM!?_** " full of shock and awe. As the two girls took cover behind a dumpster, Cortana turned toward the troopers. With a quick move of her fingers, the woman had a hologram in her palm. She flicked her fingers and the doctor heard a whirr in the Atlas armor's communication device... Cortana had jammed their local comms. She didn't lose her touch, then...

The AI started a slow walk toward the Troopers, who were backed into a Corner, aiming their weapons at her just as she slid her tac-mask back on her face... As she broke into a sprint, the soldiers opened fire. The AI-turned-human dodged with calm or took the stun rounds in her strange armored bodysuit... Her sprint broke into a full run as she bounded and leaped over targets, before reaching her targets. She drew her Baton and switched it on... Electricity shimmered into the shaft and body, before Cortana slammed it against one of the soldiers' faces, toppling the armored man to the floor as a wave of Watts coursed through his body.

She swiveled about as a soldier aimed for her head, knelt and hit her in the knee, sending her to the floor, before kicking her handgun away and _lightly tapping_ her on the forehead with the baton. She raised her own stun pistol and shot the other troopers twice, sending them tumbling to the floor, then spun the electric weapon and holstered it. The little fight was over in less than three seconds...

"A bit slow, but it'll have to do until I fully calibrate myself..." Cortana murmured, arranging her uniform... She heard a gun cock behind her and saw Halsey standing up, rifle aimed at her and... Not with stun rounds. Cortana took her mask and hood off and said "Doc... Calm down. You're safe now. It's me, Cortana." raising her hands after stowing her weapons god-knows-where...

"Cortana didn't have a body..." Halsey said... And her eyes locked onto Cortana's... Ahem... _Assets_. She blushed "And I'm pretty sure she didn't have those either." to which the AI blushed and pursed her lips... Halsey continued "So, who the hell are you and this kid? And why did she call you 'mom'?" with a demanding look in her eyes. Cortana rolled her eyes, then chuckled.

"Doctor... The Chief is here." She stated "And I want to get home. Think of it this way:I can prove it to you, but only if you trust me now... And we get to the Atlas Airport, grab a bird to leave and make it to where John is stationed..." before she raised her hands. Halsey raised a brow... If she knew about John... Sighing and lowering her rifle, the Doctor nodded to Cortana.

"If you're actually her... Tell me something only she would know." Halsey said, her voice trembling as she heard the rank "Then, I'll trust you..."

"... I understand working with ONI has made you paranoid, doc... So okay, I'll humor ya." Cortana chuckled "When I first awoke and we were in your lab in CASTLE Base, I was looking around, wondering who my creator was... Before I decided I'd hug a blueberry sundae and call _it_ my progenitor." and she saw Halsey's stern facade drop... Sighing, the woman slid the weapon on her back and stifled a chuckle. She put on her glasses...

"You _had_ to bring that up, didn't you?" Halsey questioned nonchalantly, arranging her glasses on the bridge of her nose "That still does not explain the child." and she looked to the little black-haired blue-eyed girl as she stepped into the light, smiling still. "Or you having a body." The Doctor then said, turning to Cortana. She nodded, then waved the Doctor forward and said "I'll explain it all in detail when we're on our way out of Atlas, doc. C'mon. Oppy, with me."

"Yes, mom!" The little bot said, walking beside Cortana...

As the girls strolled forward through the back alleys of Atlas, Halsey was squinting at Cortana... Specifically, her rear-end... She quickened her pace slightly and Cortana raised a brow, but chose to ignore it for now... Should she...? It'd be odd... But for science? Yes, yes... For science! Placing her hand over Cortana's lower back, the doctor firmly squeezed the rear of the AI-turned-human... Halsey raised her brow, uttering out a calm "Intriguing..." As Cortana yelped in surprise, feeling the doctor's younger grip on her.

"DOCTOR, WHAT THE HELL!?" The girl shrieked, covering her rear and taking a few steps forward. Halsey tapped her chin as she walked up behind Cortana, then spoke "It's so firm... Odd. This warrants further investigation..." in murmur... She went chest-to-back with Cortana(an odd feeling as it was already...) before grabbing her... _Assets_ and feeling them.

... Cortana let out a shrill scream and said "ARE YOU SERIOUS!? _DOCTOR, THIS IS CONSIDERED SEXUAL_ _ASSAULT!"_

"Oh, hush. I could be doing worse..." She said, feeling her firm grip and huffing... "Odd... odd, odd, odd... Humm..."

" _MOM_ , COME ON!" Cortana burst, making Halsey stagger and freeze up. Cortana covered her mouth as she watched the Doctor take a moment, a slight shock registering in her otherwise calm poker face... Halsey shook her head, then nodded "Right..." before walking ahead of Cortana and speaking to her "You mentioned John is here... Is he really?" denoting a sense of 'let's forget this happened' as she walked. Cortana whimpered, feeling herself and blushing as they walked...

"Are _you_ really Halsey?" Cortana asked, pouting and squinting at the woman.

"Yes, I am, my girl, now I asked you something. I expect an answer." Halsey said as coldly as ever...

"Yes... Yes, he is here... Along with a whole host of Spartans... Many whom are on the MIA list..." Cortana said, trying to calm herself down... She saw Halsey lose step and read via scan that her pulse skyrocketed. The Doctor swallowed and took off her glasses, before once again pocketing them and rubbing her eyes... Cortana could swear she heard a strained whimper of a " _My God..._ " coming out of the good doctor's mouth. She seemed to be contemplating whether she should show herself to the Spartans or not... Cortana added an extra "Also, Doc... They're kind of... Uhm... Well, like you? De-aged to a certain extent..."

"How far are we talking?" Halsey said, her voice slightly cracking.

"... John's probably back around to being eighteen. The others? Similar... Well, save for Sam." She said...

"... Samuel is here?" Halsey said, feeling yet another dagger stab into her heart... The First Casualty.

"And Daisy... And Cal... And dozens of others. NOBLE Team included." Cortana noted... "I... Doctor, your pulse has elevated to an unhealthy extreme... Please, calm down... And trust me, they'll be more than happy to see you. I can vouch for that." the girl then said, stepping up next to Halsey, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to Oppy, then said "Don't ever do what grandmama Halsey did, 'kay darling?"

"Yes, mom." Oppy said cutely. Cortana chuckled, then said to Halsey "C'mon... We got a ride to catch. We can talk more aboard." before Halsey turned to her... She was a Grandmother... But not in the way she expected. She then looked to little Oppy and nodded, to which Oppy smiled at her too... Goodness Gracious, that girl seemed so kind and precious and... Gah!

Halsey turned away, blushing and said to herself that she'd... At least try... to see the kids. Hopeful she wouldn't break down in front of them. As she turned about, she saw Cortana sitting herself down on an armored motorcycle. She waved Halsey over with Oppy, then set them to sit in the back. Halsey raised a brow, then asked "Uhm... Cortana, can you drive this thing?"

"Let's find out." The girl said, donning her mask and hood and giving Halsey and Oppy helmets. Halsey wrapped her arms around Cortana's waist and felt Oppy wrap hers around her waist... Halsey stopped to ask "Hey, Cortana? What is Oppy's full name?" before the AI gal revved the engine of the bike... She turned back to the woman and answered "Opportunity. Like the Rover."

"Oh, interestiiiiii-" Halsey could only yell the rest as the bike's break was removed and it surged down the boulevard with both AIs and the Doctor aboard. Cortana chuckled as she heard Opportunity cheering and felt Halsey grabbing onto her for dear life. Ahead of them was an Atlas airfield bearing several unarmed Bullheads, but it was also gated off. And had guards. And they were armed...

"Cortana! TURN!" Halsey yelled.

"Nah. I got this, doc. Watch!" The girl said as she got her head down. The Guards aimed toward her, but didn't fire yet. They were mechanized... Droids?! Halsey saw Cortana's hand light up one more time as she typed something into a holographic tactile display. The bots halted their activity, but the humans in the towers still aimed and shot. Rounds whizzed by the girls' ears as Cortana aimed for the gate... Hacking into its systems, the AI managed to pry it open just enough for the bike to fit. Halsey was happily surprised... It meant her algorithms were doing their thing.

As they drove onto the Tarmac, Cortana found the active and, by her diagnostics, most fueled Bullhead. Skidding to a halt next to it, she hacked into its door access and drew her stun pistol, aiming for the Atlas troopers moving toward them. Stun rounds hit armor and sent the men tumbling to the floor as the AI boarded the vehicle, powering it up... The spacious, under-armored interior allowed her, her AI daughteru and the Doctor, who took shotgun. Cortana sat down in the pilot's seat, touched the console and engaged her hacking procedures... The engines sputtered, then spun up and revved... She made sure they wouldn't be tracked, disabling the ship's on-board transmitter, before taking off and punching it out of the area...

All of this occurred within a minute of entering the place and the Atlas Military didn't have time to respond. Cortana chuckled, then said "Well, that was fun." as she made sure her tracker system was off and that the radar wasn't tagging them as hostile, trying to shield the ship's radio and magnetic signatures. Halsey sighed in relief, releasing a breath she didn't know she held, before looking to Cortana... Cortana looked at her, grinning... And Halsey yet again had to stifle a laugh... She hid her mouth behind her palm and shook her head.

"For an AI based on my own mind, Cortana, you sure are reckless..." She said, looking to the girl.

"That was a compliment." Cortana simply returned. "Thanks."

"Of course you'd find it a compliment..." Halsey said, looking over the console as they flew into the clouds, then said "You know where we're going?" to which the girl simply nodded. She looked over a saved screenshot of the CCT-GPS data that meant travel from here to Vale, before answering "Yeah. It's gonna take us a couple days to get there, with evasive maneuvers to avoid Atlas patrols on the way to Vale, so settle in... I've got a lot of stuff to explain to you, Doctor."

"Oh?" Halsey raised a brow...

... This was gonna be an interesting flight.


	20. The Doctor Arrives

**_... On board the ship. A good few hours later._**

"You are... Kidding me, right?" The Doctor asked in disbelief... Seeing Cortana shake her head as Oppy slept in the background, the Doctor let out a sigh "I get what John and you were trying to do, Cortana... But lying to these people does not help. Especially since this headmaster, Ozpin, seems to be catching on. When we get to Beacon, I will personally explain the situation to the headmaster."

"Doc, with all due respect, are you sure that's a good idea?" Cortana asked, leaning back into her pilot's chair. "I really believe we should keep the masquerade up... For as long as it lasts." Cortana offered.

"Cortana, you are just about to show up in Beacon with me and a gynoid body... I do believe the show _cannot_ go on anymore. Not with me present. So against your judgement, I will openly say we must talk to Ozpin... If he discovers you and, more importantly, John and the other Spartans have been lying to him when we least expect it, we won't have time to wonder why we're being kicked out when they already give us the boot." Halsey explained thoroughly, arranging her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She took out her tablet from her pocket, then scanned over data and connected it to the ship's computer.

Cortana sighed... "Guess you're right. Things'll get too weird if I and you show up at the same time... Hell, if I _alone_ were to show up, it'd trigger a whole slew of questions." And she looked ahead, flicking on a passive Radar system... Nothing within 2 kilometers of them... So she was free to switch her GPS systems back on. Though through that, she tried to mask them as well.

"My point exactly, Cortana." Halsey said, flicking through several bits of data. "... You misjudged our travel?"

"No... I thought we would have to evade Atlas patrols and aircraft, but for now, they're pretty much steering clear of us as far as I can tell... I'll get into the coms and see why." she spoke calmly, tapping a few commands with her fingers and hacking into the Com system to listen in... Bouts of radio, CCTS unencrypted coms and, well, General Ironwoods own orders... "Huh... Caught a high-level Atlas Communique. It seems dear General Ironwood has been asked directly by headmaster Ozpin to _not_ shoot us down... And he's obeying that."

"... Curious, but understandable. Considering what you've told me of the Forerunner artifact's properties..." Halsey murmured.

"Aye..." Cortana nodded.

"Well... I think I'll take my chance to sleep a bit, if you don't mind, Cortana." Halsey noted, before yawning "It's been a long day." to which Cortana shrugged and nodded. She turned back to piloting the ship as they maintained course for Vale. She wondered how John was doing. Knowing him, Penny was unsuccessful in trying to stop him from finding out. Even if she did manage, he probably figured out something was wrong when she didn't answer the Scroll.

She looked back to Opportunity as the little AI drone and a thought crossed her mind that made her blush, her eyes going wide... And it returned as she thought about it again. has stopped working... And cue the old Dial-Up sounds. She needed to get her mind out of the goddamn gutter for a change... Darn, the de-aging affected some of her AI Matrix activities to a degree...

"Stopstopstopstop, Cortana _stop_!" The girl whispered to herself, slapping her cheeks lightly as to get the blush to go away. This _wasn't_ the time to think if Chief would accept Oppy as his daught-GOD DAMMIT! STOP! She shook her head and continued piloting the ship... Hopefully not encountering any further disturbances. The radar pinged... And so she flew calmly.

 ** _Back at Beacon, meanwhile..._**

John had searched the entire campus with the help of his friends. Even the CCTS proved a bust when Cortana, had she transferred through, left no trace that any Spartan that's more tech-savvy could've figured. He sighed deeply, gazing around at the rest of team JPDE. Penny meanwhile... Well, she knew what was going on and was doing a very poor job of hiding it... She felt Dylan's gaze boring into the back of her head and, pursing her lips, sat trembling in her seat.

"... You okay, Dylan?" Jack asked, raising a brow.

"Fine." He answered calmly, looking to her... He wasn't fine.

"... A'ight then, Partner. If ya say so..." Jack looked away, slightly scared. Some thing was wrong with Dylan. And she didn't know what it was. Evelyn clearly felt it too. Dylan had an air of danger about him now. Something was completely turned upside down within his mind. Even as he seemed to pay attention, there was tenseness in his movement. The little bunny looked at him with furrowed brows and ears slumped.

As classes ended, the girls hanged back as the man went ahead back to the room. Jack looked to the other two and asked "So... Any idea what could've gotten our resident Supersoldier pissed to this degree?" calmly... Evelyn shrugged simply and Penny shivered, gripping tightly her notebook... Jack raised a brow, noticing Penny's movement, then asked "Penny... You know anything?"

"I... I..." She stuttered a bit, her voice cracking...

"Penny, 's okay... Calm down." Evelyn said, placing a hand on her shoulder "You can tell us... If it's something Dylan doesn't need to know, we can keep the secret." to which the bot-girl looked up... She gathered them close, making sure Dylan was gone, then whispered to the girls the situation... Who better to confide in than your teammates, right? Well... They seemed to understand... She said everything but her own actual secret...

"Man... Ironwood's a dick." Evelyn noted, crossing her arms.

"The General was always a cut above the others in the shenanigans he'd pull... But this? Asking poor Penny to basically spy on Dylan?" Jack whispered, surprised. "We need to take this to Oz. Have him talk to the man." And she looked to Penny as she shook her head quickly... "Oh... You're right, Penny. This may get Dylan involved in the whole thing and it'd be like ratting you out..."

"So... We just shut up?" Evelyn asked.

"Yes. Better for both us and Penny, Carrots." Jack answered, pushing a bit of her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Now, c'mon. He's probably waiting for us inside the room..." And as they walked back... They saw him moving out of the room, clad in full armor kit and with rifle at the ready... Jack's eyes went wide as she too grabbed her gear quickly, while Penny and Evelyn readied theirs... "What's up, Chief?"

"Incoming Atlas dropship contact... Ozpin just warned me it may be one of my people's that landed in Atlas somehow..."

"Gods damn!" Jack said, trying to hide her grin. Talk about fucking _karma._ Someone stole one of Tin Man's birds right out from under their noses... The girls followed Chief, who had called up the rest of the crew via his com network. By the time the crew had gotten to the landing pad, they were all clad in combat gear and Ozpin had time to recount how many Spartans there actually were... A metric tonne of them was the answer.

A serious _metric tonne._

There must've been at least 40+ Spartans present, plus several dozen Marines, a couple of pilots and so on, so forth. He had what amounted to a small army of soldiers from what he assumed was the fictitious Kingdom of Wyvern... And as he saw the Atlesian Bullhead begin its touch-down procedures. As its skids touched the landing pad, the Spartans took up ready positions, hands hovering over their sidearms...

Until the doors slid open...

Chief stared with disbelief as a woman in her mid-thirties walked off of the Pelican. A woman he knew. A woman whom he grew up under watch of. The woman who'd turned him into a soldier. The stern, icy gaze of two teal eyes from behind a pair of half-rimmed glasses was filled with surprise. Despite her poker face, Doctor Halsey, much younger now than she was when John had last seen her, stared with disbelief... Following her off the ship was a tall, toned woman in her early 20s with long blue hair and a little child with black hair, maybe 14 or 15.

"Well... Quite the welcoming committee..." Cortana quipped, settling her feet onto the landing pad as Oppy hid behind her. "Told you, doc. Most of them are here."

"... I can see that, Cortana..." Halsey whispered... And she froze as she saw him... Clad in his heavy, damaged, dark-green Mark VI suit. An unrecognizable weapon stowed on his back, that somewhat matched the UNSC's look, his height still exceeding hers, especially now, in full armor and his visor shimmering with surprise, despite his face being invisible behind it, John-117 stood before her...

... Halsey took a moment... Mouth slightly open... She pursed her lips, then gave a faint enough smile that only John could see it, before saying a calm "... Took us long enough..."

"Doctor..." John nodded calmly, removing his helmet from his head and sliding it under his arm, revealing the young boy that Halsey had seen grow up now... Now back to that pale, youthful face of times past. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw him. Breathing out, the woman looked back to see the other Spartans, helmets off their heads. Some shook hands, others smiled faintly but hid it well, unable to contain themselves and others... Well, they yet managed to keep steely gazes.

The woman patted the Spartan's chest, pushing away some ash that had remained on the Titanium alloy breast plate, then said "You've been maintaining your armor, John... Cortana has told me everything about your little cover story... I'm here to countermand the whole thing." He said and John seemed confused... In fact, so did the people behind him, those whom she didn't know, but figured were Ozpin and his aide, as well as John's new team and... Four very colorful girls. "I'm telling them everything."

"Ma'am, I-" John spoke up.

"Don't worry..." She nodded. "I know, John... Trust me, it is better to tell the Truth. No more ONI shadows, no more lies... No more cover stories. These people may need to know what we're facing if it's to come back. And I'm not speaking of the Covenant here. You know full-well whom I mean." And she saw him sigh, an almost imperceptible worry in his gaze... He nodded, then stepped aside, allowing Halsey to walk ahead toward headmaster Ozpin, miss Goodwitch and the rest of team JPDE... She nodded to them, hands behind her back, then said "Greetings. I am Doctor Catherine Halsey."

"Greetings to you as well, Doctor." Ozpin spoke warmly, but with an undertone of worry. "I presume you are the fair woman who worked with the Spartans during their training?" he intuited. Halsey gave a nod and looked at John's new team... All 3 girls seemed surprised... She nodded to them, to try and ease them off, before turning back to Ozpin and speaking "Indeed. You must be Headmaster Ozpin... There is much we need to talk about, Headmaster. Especially the cover story that Master Chief Petty Officer..." She chuckled "I do believe he called himself Dylan... Has come up with to protect you and himself."

"Oh?" Ozpin raised a brow, surprised.

"Headmaster... Do you truly think our people come from some forsaken Remnant-based country that your people have never discovered, somehow? Even with all of your technology?" She started, noticing Ozpin's brow furrow. "Did not think so... You are a smart man, Headmaster. So do you want to know where we truly come from, me, the Spartans and the Marines?"

"... I would very much enjoy to know that, Doctor." The man noted...

"Well, this may sound more insane than the Master Chief's explanation, but the truth is, Headmaster... We come from a somewhat more advanced human civilization. Not from Remnant... Or anywhere near it, from what I could figure out so far. We are, in fact... Well, from a different realm than yours. A different set of worlds, countries and lands as well."

Ozpin squinted "Doctor... As much as I'd like to believe you come from _outer space_ , you do understand how preposterous that idea sounds, correct? You'll need evidence to convince me of such a fa-" And he paused as he saw the Doctor pull out her datapad, with the Eagle seen on the Spartans' armors, before straightening it and activating a holographic projector, showing him _paragraphs_ of data about sixteen different worlds, each flashing seconds between each-other, but slow enough that Ozpin could read data on them... Accurate geographical data, Fleet Disposition, Military Presence, Population...

"... My Gods..." Glynda gasped, her eyes blasting wide open, looking at the Spartans, who turned to watch their interaction, but stayed at a distance. These people were not from Remnant... They were foreigners. Aliens... Extra-Remnantians... Evelyn's grin widened as she looked at them. Jack covered her mouth and Penny's eyes were wide... Jack had figured these guys were something else when Penny mentioned an Artificial Intelligence she had sent to her father, but... _This_? This was something else...

"The Spartans and Marines are all soldiers of the United Nations Space Command, Headmaster. A governmental organization from the planet Earth that runs all military assets across UNSC and EarthGov space. It currently stands at 1600 ships and still rebuilding after a costly war that ended nearly 3 years ago, between us and an Alien Hegemony... I can prompt up data about the foes we've faced and the time-span and casualties of the war, if you'd like..." Halsey spoke as calmly as she could.

"... I..." He stuttered. "Doctor... Most of your Spartans couldn't be older than 18... And they have the ranks of adults that must have served for at _least_ several years."

"Ah, you see, good eye, Headmaster." Halsey felt her heart skip a beat... "That is an explanation I'm going to give at a later date. For now, I wish to get reintroduced to my Spartans... I will give you the data about the UNSC, with journal entries of my own about Earth Governments and our history." The doctor graciously evaded. Ozpin coughed, then nodded and arranged his glasses on the brow of his nose, before nodding...

"One more thing, Doctor..." Jack said "Sorry to interrupt, but... What's Dylan's real name, then?"

"John." Halsey said.

"... Just John?" Penny asked... And Halsey felt a shiv strike her heart as her memory ran to remember his name. She sighed deeply, then nodded. She said "Oh..." before looking at him... "So why has he been lying to us?"

"... Like I said, to protect you. Or at least that's what he thought he has been doing. You would've all learned the truth later anyways. About us, our enemies and our war." She said calmly and bluntly, making Jack flinch... She looked to Ozpin, then said "The Covenant. That's the entries about our foe. Everything from troop dispositions, to _estimated_ fleet sizes across the 25-year-long War. It's a healthy and long read outside my ready-to-give data that doesn't include Top-Secret files. A lot of black ink on those, but I have clearance."

"Protect us... Why?" Evelyn asked, her ears perking up out of curiosity.

"... Girls... If you'd know half the things I and the Spartans have seen thanks to the Covenant... You would be thanking your gods you're facing only the Grimm." She noted ominously and all 3 girls felt chills shoot up their spines. As did Glynda... Hell, OZPIN felt a chill shoot up his spine... And as soon as he saw team RWBY approach, he nodded to miss Rose and watched as Halsey turned to him, before saying "I'd say brief your students on the UNSC, at least... So they know whom they're dealing with, Headmaster. Otherwise, we'll talk once you finish your lecture." before taking out a crystalline data chip and handing it to the man... He gripped it weakly and slid it into his pocket.

"... Understandable..." Ozpin nodded... He swallowed... There was one extra thing he noticed... She had _her_ voice... Not just bits, not just faint traces... _It was Salem's voice through and through..._ "A good day, Doctor... I'll make sure to read this. You, get acquainted to Beacon and stay with your Spartans... Good day." He nodded, patting the drive. He nodded to Glynda, then the two stepped off...

Penny noticed Cortana in her new body, then smiled and waved... Cortana, as a return, smirked too, giving the girl a mock two-finger salute. The blue-haired AI turned to the Chief, then said "So... What's up, John? Didja miss me?" with a grin on her face. Chief took a moment, eyes actually going wide for a change, before looking at her... She chuckled, then said "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"... No way." He said simply, turning to her and walking face-to-face with her. He was a head above her, so he had to look down, while the girl, blushing, looked up at him, tilting her head. She snorted and John rubbed the back of his neck, before simply uttering out a half-mouthed "... Cortana? Is... Is that you?" as he gave her a once-over. The woman saluted the Chief proudly... He did recognize her, even in a body, with the pale skin and everything.

"Yes, John... It's me." She said happily. "Like what you see?" She asked, then spun about.

"... Wow..." He swallowed "... I..."

"Oh, look at that! I left you speechless for a change!" She laughed heartily, then looked down at his breastplate with melancholy... She ran her gloved fingers over his chest plate slowly, taking in the sensation of brushing the cold plate... Feeling her lip quiver, she thought she'd have to ask Professor Polendina about the mods, as she felt an urge to cry, but not of sadness... Of actual joy. Of _genuine human joy._ Softly breathing, the girl blushed and said "You have no idea... How long I've waited to do this..." as she let her hand on his chest. He slowly, hesitantly moved his own left hand onto hers and clasped it over his chest.

Noticing her black hair tilting from behind Cortana, the Spartan looked at the young girl behind his AI curiously, as she hid... Cortana chuckled, then said "It's okay, Oppy... It's okay." as she brought the girl forward. She was about a forehead below Cortana, so that made a head and some below John. Hands interlaced and lowered, the girl looked up at John, with surprise... Cortana looked to John as well and said "This is Opportunity... I... Kinda made her while my body was being worked on... And, well... I... Uhm..." She blushed, looking away. GOD DAMMIT, NO, NOT NOW! "I figured she could hang with us for a bit... That okay with you, John?"

"Uhm..." John uttered, surprised... Then he knelt in front of Oppy, still taller than her as her head reached to his chest now, he looked at Opportunity, who gave him cutesy puppy eyes... He relented, then sighed and said "I don't see a problem... Hello, Opportunity. I'm... Uhm, how should she call me, Cortana?" He looked up and immediately, Cortana averted his gaze, hiding her blush... Don'tsaydaddon'tsaydaddon'tsaydad...

"Chief... Or John! However ya want, ahaha!" She chuckled awkwardly... John shrugged, then turned to Oppy.

"Which do you want to call me by?" He asked her... The girl took a thinking pose, pursing her lips, squinting and tapping her chin.

"Chief!" She said happily.

"Okay then... Chief it is." John said, standing up... Well, that was odd. "Welcome to Beacon... Both of you."

"John, Cortana, do come along!" Halsey yelled to him. "We've to meet the others! You must reintroduce me! And to your classmates as well!" She said somewhat jovially... Almost like a mom... Wait, what the hell?" He looked back, to see the Spartans saluting Halsey. She saluted them back quickly then began speaking to all of them... She rounded them up in an instant, then showed them to follow her. The Marines laughed as they saw that. And Johnson turned to the Chief and gave him a thumbs up as they too walked off... John then looked to his team and team RWBY and saw them... Smiling... At him. And talking too.

... This certainly went better than expected...


	21. Double Trouble

**_AN:DIS GON' BE GUD!_**

* * *

 ** _-Play OST:Warrior Song-Aer Vis-_**

 _"Echo 4-1-9, this is BEACON FOB Tower. You are to prepare for immediate Dustoff. Acknowledge, over?"_

... Of course. Just as she was having lunch too... Sighing, Carol set her plastic plate and sandwich down on the console to her left, tapped her com button and said "Foe Hammer acknowledges. What's the call, BEACON?" her mouth still full of food.

" _Data will be streamed to your HUD. It's two Spartans... And a whole slew of other IFF tags. Counting minimum 25 without the Spartans."_

More Spartans and probably Marines. That made too much sense at this point for her to like it. "Roger that, Beacon FOB. Engines are heating. Who's in the meet'n'greet party?" and she looked back to see Cal, Daisy, Linda and Six stepping aboard. She watched as Linda stepped up to the cockpit and sat down in her co-pilot's seat, before noting "We got more incoming, BLUE?"

Linda took her helmet off, looked back at Carol and said, a glimmer of joy in her emerald eyes "It's two of our close friends, actually. Far as I can tell, one's Fred-104. Chief's XO." and turned to the controls "The Rads have been dissipating faster, meaning the machine that's been dropping us here's slowing down... Second friendly is Kurt-051. Others are apparently friends of Noble Team."

... Spartan-IIIs, then? Huh. "Alright, ma'am. Roger that. Beacon Tower, this is Echo Four-Nineteen, requesting permission for dust-off."

" _Permission granted_ _. Ascend to ANGELS Oh-Point-Eight and maintain. Low skim orders from Doc Halsey herself... Good hunting, Foe Hammer."_

"Roger that, Beacon Tower, thanks. Rubber's on the road and kids are on the back seat." The girl said, removing the breaks and powering the engines. Ah, flying. She always adored it... Taking off from the makeshift landing pad, the landing gears of the Pelican retracted and Carol spoke "We're in the pipe, Five-By-Five. Hang on tight, kids!" with a jovial tone as she gave full forward throttle. The aircraft surged forth and entered the suggested altitude of 800 feet, the belly of the gunmetal-green transport skimming the top of the trees...

... A radar ping appeared on her HUD. She spoke "Ma'am, got a contact, 9 o'clock... Looks big."

The Spartan cocked her head and looked out the window. She raised her brows, then answered "Tagged one... It's one of ours... I think." And just as she spoke, the radio crackled to life. At first, there was static... Then, a female voice slowly came into hearing range of both the Spartan and the Marine Pilot... And Carol's grin went wide as she heard the voice of the woman...

" _... This is Flight Lieutenant Shiela Polaski, Echo Three-Seventeen! Four-Nineteen, that you!?"_ He heard her speak calmly...

"Hahaha! YOU BEAUTIFUL BITCH!" Carol cheered "Three-Seventeen, this is Four-Nineteen! I got your ass on Radar! Good to see your ugly mug still flying!"

" _Fuck's sake, Foe Hammer! Am I glad to hear your fake-as-shit Louisiana accent! All I got so far was static!"_

"Welcome to the show, then! We can socialize more back home, but right now, I'm gonna need some backup! Think you can solve that, or did you lose your fangs?" Asked Carol, setting up and watching gleefully as the Pelican formed up beside her, bearing Shark's teeth at the forefront, with a 30mm Gatling Cannon attached to the nose and several rocket pods on the sides.

" _Fangs out, Four-Nineteen! Fangs out!"_ The pilot smirked. She waved at them from aboard the Pelican and Foehammer could see another man aboard. A bald-headed ODST sat at the gunnery controls. Foe Hammer gave a thumbs up, then showed her to follow her in... The duet of birds, one more heavily armed and armored than the other, flew in above a clearing where Grimm were engaging a host of soldiers in strange armors, among which the duet of Spartan-IIs...

" _Four-Nineteen, this is Three-Seventeen... The hell are those things?"_ The pilot asked.

"Really annoying little critters, Three-Seventeen... Also target practice." She said "I'll spin about and pick up our friendlies! Give me a gun-run on those things, copy?"

 _"Loud'n'Clear. Going in."_ Polaski said... She seemed different, but Carol imagined it was the same story with her as it was with everyone else. Died and wound up respawning here... Outside and below, a Squadron of 25 Spartan-IIIs clad in SPI Armors regarded the incoming Pelicans with surprise... One turned on its axis, using the engine VTOL... And then its guns spun up...

A deafening burst of gunfire echoed from above as the gun cycled rounds. The creatures they'd been fighting so far vaporized under weight of 30mm Depleted Uranium rounds. Two 40mm missiles filled with White Phosphorus flew into the target area and burst with a blinding flash, sending the flames outward to melt the monstrosities. The S-IIIs present cheered at the sight, raising MA5K Carbines and Silenced SMGs as they saw their reinforcements arrive... And as the second Pelican landed, swiftly out of it deployed a slew of Spartans, guns chattering...

Linda made headway and joined the two S-IIs forward, racking the bolt of her Sniper with her last two mags of ammo at the ready, before snapping off one shot that burst through a creature's eye socket and sent it tumbling to the floor. It was a larger one, a bear almost. She stood up, then looked to the two tall-lean boys behind her and nodded to them... "Fred. Took you long enough... And Kurt... Been too long."

"Linda..." Kurt nodded.

"... Man, are we glad to see you." Fred said, lowering his DMR. "I was running out of ammo..."

Fucking funny, Fred... "Figured... These little critters come in large packs..."

"Reminds me of the Promethean drones... Just... More odd." The man noted, slinging his rifle on his back. "You wouldn't believe what Kurt told me..."

"That he trained his own Classes of Spartan Companies and these are some of the kids from within them?" Linda raised a brow. Fred and Kurt exchanged confused glances, before the woman pointed at Noble Six, who was interacting with the other S-IIIs present quite happily. Many were in SPI Armors. Kurt hummed and Fred looked to Linda again... She showed him to come along and watched as Polaski's bird landed too, to pick up the rest of the kids.

"Well... That was certainly endearing." Fred noted as he, Linda and Kurt walked aboard Foe Hammer's bird.

"Tell me about it." Kurt hummed, watching as the kids boarded, half with them, half with Polaski. As they found their seats, Kurt looked to Linda and asked "So, is John around?" knowing full-well what the answer would be. The girl gave a nod as she went to the cockpit while the other Spartans sat aboard... Cal and Daisy looked at Kurt, both smiling behind their helmets and Kurt waved at them.

"Hello, Daisy, Cal." He said nonchalantly.

"Glad to see you're in one piece, Kurt." Daisy said.

"Quite." Cal hummed... She leaned in toward Daisy and whispered "'s gonna be weird, trying to explain the wolf ears..."

"You explained it to about thirteen other people, save for Halsey." She whispered back. "And even you don't know what's going on..."

"... We'll figure it out, right?" She asked calmly.

"... Cortana's around and has a good-lookin bod, Cal... Dunno, but maybe?" She noted. Of course, Kurt and Fred were both confused as they heard the chatter. Six meanwhile, she chuckled as she watched the other S-IIIs, many of them BETA Company members, sitting with them... And then she noticed the tags in front of her... She took her helmet off, then looked at both of them... And they looked to her.

"Tom... Lucy..." She nodded to them.

"Alice..." Tom nodded back as he took his own helmet off, to reveal his youthful face. "A lot's been going on, ain't it?" and she nodded... A lot had been going on alright.

Too much, actually...

* * *

 ** _Back in Beacon. The Tower._**

After a quick reacquaintance with many of her Spartans and with Noble Team, Doctor Halsey had been called up to talk to the Headmaster. It'd been as much as a day and a half since Halsey had first arrived, so she expected to be called in. And as she walked off of the elevator, she saw the Headmaster just finish a convo with the man whom Cortana had called General Ironwood. Quaint old man had a few allies within the other kingdoms.

"You asked to see me, Headmaster?" The woman asked as she stepped inside, her tablet in her hand... The man nodded and waved her forward to take a seat. She joined the man at his desk, then sat herself down as she saw the chip drive she'd handed him on the glass table. He had bags under his eyes, meaning he must've looked over every ounce of Data she'd given him.

"As expected... You looked through everything." She said calmly.

"Yes... And I can see why the Master Chief and his companions wanted to keep the truth from us... I've lived long enough to see madness... And what you've given me isn't insane enough. It's well-documented. Every detail, the history of Earth, the Rainforest Wars, the Jovian Moons, First Contact and the subsequent Harvest campaign... Reach. Earth. The Covenant... If news of what has happened to your people in the 25-year-long Human-Covenant War were to get out into Vale and Remnant alike, people would be panicking..."

He saw the man's eyes full of fear and shock, the eyes of a man who'd seen too much already... And she knew full well why that thought was a scary one... After all, most Spartans and Marines briefed her on those... Things...

"And we cannot let that happen due to the Grimm..." She noted, arranging her glasses on her face. Ozpin nodded... Well, she knew ways to help prevent that, but she'd also need access to much of Ozpin's own knowledge... "I gave you an in as to why my Spartans chose to lie in your face, Headmaster. Defense of oneself and of the people present on Remnant. Now, I need you to return the favor."

"Oh?" The man stopped himself from asking in a more rude manner... Tiredness had gotten to him.

"I need information, Headmaster... As to what the Grimm are. The look in your eye tells me you're more than a normal human being, so... Information for Information." Halsey spoke calmly, maintaining a poker face.

"Rather bold of you... But I will be honest, Doctor, it's too much to explain in such a short bout of chatter." The man returned. "I will try and make up a file for you to best understand things, but as I'm sure you know, all of us have our own secrets... I won't be able to tell you all of it, just like you aren't able to tell me everything about yourself and your Spartans..."

Damn... Old man saw through the bluff... "Understandable, Headmaster. I look forward to further informational exchanges. For now, I do believe we should switch to a more pleasant subject of discussion..."

Ozpin looked to the woman as she pocketed her tablet, then leaned onto the desk... Snorting, the old man watched her reaction... She sighed, then crossed her arms... Quaint reaction, but the fact her voice matched dear old dead wifey's still irritated him. "So..." He said, taking his cup of coffee from a table behind him and extending one to Halsey "Some coffee, doctor?"

"... It Decaff?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Dear Gods, no..." The Headmaster said, a hint horrified... Halsey smirked.

"Perfect. Then, I'd love a cup." She said. The Headmaster poured a second cup, then extended it to the doctor. She took it in her hands, feeling the warmth, then blew the steam coming from the top and took a sip. It was... She took a moment, looking around as she blushed, then set the cup down on a coaster... It was _better_ than any UNSC regulation coffee. And those weren't half bad, really.

"Like it?" The Headmaster asked with a shit-eating grin.

"It's good." The Doctor nodded, maintaining her poker face. "Anyways... A subject of discussion would be... John's rifle. Who made a functioning Designated Marksman Rifle that is also a rail rifle?"

"That would be miss Rose." The Headmaster noted. "Ruby Rose, First Year... And a gun wiz."

"Oh?" The woman said, taking another sip of her cup. "I'd be interested to meet her..." As would all UNSC Weapons Manufacturers... God forbid that girl got access to Spartan Lasers. Or Covenant Plasma Weapons they've so far managed to modify... Oh, _God._ That would've been horrifying for the Covenant in itself. And that somewhat gave Halsey a mental image worth days...

"As would she be, Doctor." The man smiled. "Trust me, she's asked about you quite a lot yesterday. And she wants to help design other personalized Spartan Weapons."

"I see. I appreciate her eagerness." Halsey said. "If you have a Lab and Forge I can work with her in, I'd be glad to take her in and have her teach me Remnant's weapon manufacturing skills and secrets."

"Perhaps miss Weiss would also be of help to you, since she can teach you much about Dust. Her family is in the business of making and selling Dust." The man offered. "If you wish to help standardize your Spartans' weapons to Remnant, I figure these two fair ladies would be a good place to start." And he watched for Halsey's response. The woman nodded.

"I shall see to meeting them later, then." Halsey said "Any other Beacon-borne persons I should meet, Headmaster?"

"Miss Goodwitch would probably like to have a talk with you at some point later today. And, speaking of teachers... Mrs. Peach should be returning from her medical leave by now. She's also quite the Dust enthusiast if you'd like to meet her." The man noted, smiling. The Doctor nodded... Well, Dust would have to be studied. It was a paramount research to understand how to arm themselves here...

... In another part of Beacon, as discussions between the Headmaster and Doctor continued, the Spartans reconvened with their new arrivals near the BEACON FOB, which had, by now, transformed in looks. While on the outside, it was still nothing short of a warehouse, the insides were better built and renovated, with the rooms evenly splitting the space to the inch. The Marine Barracks, the Pilots' Barracks and the Civilian Barracks, should it be needed, in the far left, the Mess Hall in the center, the motorpool and part of the Hangar in the right section.

Thankfully, the Hangar had just been expanded... It now fit both Pelicans.

As Polaski stepped into the Barracks, she stretched and yawned "One thing I know, I'm on a Covie ship caught in some Slipspace bubble and then I get vaporized when the shit I flew got hit by Plasma. Now I wake up in some weird place, on my Pelican and with Locklear aboard." She sighed, sitting down on a bed in the corner bed... it was indeed the weirdest shit she'd ever faced...

"Tell me about it, Shiela. A lot of weirdness is going on." Carol said, setting her flight Jacket on the coathanger and sitting down on her own bunk, just in front of Polaski. Things had been going weird since she got here, so to say today was any less weird would be weird. In fact, weird had become the norm... "This place is usually weird... You get used to it."

"Gotta be honest with you, Carol, I don't know how you got used to it." She didn't know how the hell either were still alive anyways, but that was an entirely different plot point. She set her pistol onto the nightstand beside her, then kicked her boots off and leaned back into the bed "All I wanna do is sleep right now and hopefully wake up in the _Autumn's_ bu-..." She paused... No... "Actually, _fuck that._ I think we're safer here."

Carol laughed. "Johnson held a speech about it to the Marines a while back." And she tossed Polaski a can of Guinness. For all their life, Guinness had always made fine beer. Fact that they were still kicking almost 6 or 700 years after the first pint of Guinness had been put on a counter and served to some random folk proved as much. She touched the can and it clicked and opened with a satisfying hiss. The woman gulped down a fifth of the can and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Way I see it, Carol, what you just handed me answers our problems... A can of fine beer always does away with the weird of the world." Polaski quipped and got a chuckle out of Carol.

"You do love your pints." The pilot smirked.

"What sane Marine or Pilot doesn't, Carrie?" The woman said, looking to Foe Hammer with her own grin. The two girls laughed, trying to hide a deep thinking moment between both. If they'd died, they didn't know where they were... And if they didn't die and somehow survived the onslaught of fucking issues that plagued their late lives... What the hell got them both here?

... Much of the UNSC personnel on the planet, despite not voicing it, thought the same...


	22. The Shadow Doctrine

As the current events unfolded in Beacon, something else was brewing...

Within Vale itself, a group of unknowns to anyone, of Digital Shadows and Persona-non-Gratas, met up to discuss the upcoming mission within Beacon. Seated within the dining hall of a large, very decorated penthouse at the top of Vale's highest tower(Owned by a subsidiary of one of those present), a group of 8 people of all shapes, sizes and colors sat in silence, waiting for the head of the organization to arrive with number 10 in his tow. In one of the seats, near by the fireplace, a woman clad in a pale pink dress of Mistrali making, with flower motifs embedded and sown into the lower half. On her back, she had a white jacket, with a shining, dust-infused threads sewn in the pattern of a flower with two Dragons, mouths open, coiling around the sleeves. In her hand was a bent blade, similar to a Kukri, but the size of a small short-sword, with creases running across it and a wire connecting it to the wrist of the woman's clothing.

The woman twirling said sword around had long, straight and clean black hair, going down her back to past her waist line and with a long fringe running down the front, covering her right eye. Her lips were painted scarlet by strawberry lipstick and she had lilac makeup on her eyelids, while both her eyes shined of a similar color, but seemed rather empty...

Seated across from her was a man clad in a Low Crown Grey Stetson, a Belt with his emblem on the belt buckle, Cowboy style riding boots that were colored black, a Glacier Blue Western Shirt, a pair of Black pants and a Grey coat. He also wore brown gloves and a damaged Vacuoan Ranger badge on his chest, with a White Bandana around neck which was raised to cover lower part of face to help hide his identity when necessary. Most of his articles of clothing were worn out, taking on a sandy hue at this point. He had short, salt and pepper hair and a pair of deep blue eyes, as well as a pronounced mustache on his upper lip.

On his belt were Dust Rounds of several times and a pair of revolvers seated in fine leather holsters. He sat with his arms crossed and head bowed, waiting for their boss to arrive. He had been fiddling with a toothpick between his lips for a bit now as he stared at the wood table in front of them. The woman before him was the head of Covert Ops within the organization they all served. And she seemed like the calm, collected type. _Seemed_ being a keyword here.

In the middle of the table was a holographic display that would activate as soon as it was needed. The woman continued to spin her blade in her hand, staring at the cowboy across from her. A hired gun brought in by the Boss to get extra manpower for her. Hearing the double-door open, the table's occupants stood up and turned their gazes to the head of the table, to see a man clad in a black uniform with blue accents stepping inside. He had a darker skin, hazel eyes and combed black hair and held his hands behind his back... Beside him was a boy around 18 years of age, with scruffy white hair and a fringe covering his left eye, while his right was a deep tangerine color.

"As it is our duty to once more return Humanity to its rightful place..." The dark-skinned man spoke calmly as he pulled his chair back, then placed his balled right fist over the left of his chest.

" _We serve from the Shadows, in the Name of Goddess and Mankind, for only Through War, Can There Be Peace."_ The members around the table echoed, placing right fists onto the left of their chests. All save for the Cowboy...

"The meeting may now begin..." The man, who seemed to be the officer, said, taking his seat. The others took their own seats as well. Fingers interlaced and elbows on the table, the leader spoke "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Vale... It has most certainly been a while since our Operations have brought so many of us together. As you know, I've called this board meeting of the Vale Branch due to an acquired strand of data the newest addition to our Covert Operations Unit, Howard Amitola, was kind enough to bring to us." And he calmly motioned to Howard, who simply gave a wry grin. Watching some of those present shift in their seats, with the lilac-wearing woman leaning in closer, a similar grin to Howard's own...

"Indeed, it is with great joy that I report to you the Cypher has been found... Just as the _Librarium_ 's ancient records had told us." The man spoke with a calm that made several at the table feel uneasy, among which, the Cowboy, as he uncomfortably shifted in his seat. Noticing this, but electing to ignore it, the man tapped a tiny touch pad on the table's wood and ahead, the Holographic display flashed blue. Forming from a swarm of pixels, a 2D display of Remnant with its roughly outlined continents appeared. In the middle, there was a small pyramid with three stars above the base in a downward triangular shape and, above said triangle, was an image of an open eye... Outlined below and written in bold lettering, a string of words appeared, written in a thicker font...

 ** _SHADOW DOCTRINE_**

 ** _"SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM"_**

If you seek peace, Prepare for War... Those words rang true in almost everyone present at the table. Everyone aside from the Cowboy. He watched as those present at the table merely let the image float... Before the screen flashed to a set of images taken by security cameras around Vale, of a young, ginger-haired girl walking hand-in-hand with an armored giant almost twice her height. The image isolated the armored man and soon, whispers erupted across the table.

"This..." The man at the head of the table said simply, giving a faint nod toward the images "... Is our target. He is the bearer of the Cypher left to us by our Goddess. Currently, his whereabouts are a mystery to us, though not a big one." And with that, he'd taken everyone's attention to him from the images... Good... "The soldier you see and his young female companion are, as per the discoveries of Howard, currently situated within Vale itself... But in a defended location, I'm afraid. Howard?" He looked to the kid... And he swallowed, then nodded.

"Beacon... Our guy's in Beacon." Howard stated simply, his voice, that of a teenager's...

The woman in lilac scowled... Damned Ozpin...

"Something the matter, miss Xiang?" The leader asked, looking at the woman with a raised brow. Her grip tightened on her sword, but then loosened as she stowed it back into the sleeve. She shook her head, then spoke "Nothing, Colonel Ambrose... Nothing at all." with faint traces of an accent in her otherwise perfect pronunciation. Signs of anger from the woman, Ambrose knew.

"I can sense it in your voice, Lilac... You've never been good at hiding your sudden accent-based anger." The man's lips bent into a small, almost imperceptible smile. Ambrose was always good at reading people. Ever since Howard knew him, the man could tell the faintest detail in the movements of any one person and figure out what their thought or next word would be... It was almost creepy to an extent.

"... Forgive me, Colonel... It's just Ozpin..." The woman noted with a resigned sigh as her Valeian accent returned. "Always managing to mess with us even when he does not want to."

He raised his hand and showed her to stay calm "Steel yourself, miss Xiang. We've much to do still, before we get to that raggedy old man in his ivory tower. For now, we bide our time... Subduing the Cypher's Carrier will not be an easy task either, since, from what eyewitness accounts spoken to personally by Howard say, Glynda Goodwitch herself tried to subdue him and failed."

... Another bout of whispers... It was amusing to Ambrose at this point, but he chose to sigh and say "Calm, calm... It may be hard, but it is not impossible. I've devised a five-step plan to ensure our plans come to fruition. Step one, for now, is Reconnaissance. Miss Xiang, this is where you and Howard come into play... Get yourselves into Beacon, disguised as Mistrali students if you have to. I will acquire some disposable Mercenary Huntsmen to accompany you two into the school through my backwater channels... Or, come to think of it..." He looked over to the Cowboy, who too met his gaze halfway. Ambrose offered "Mister Montana. You've been awfully quiet for this little meeting."

Montana arranged his hat, then said "I don't have much to say, Colonel." in a westerner accent. "Seems as though your little target's in reach, so I must ask, why not just go for him? He's a fella in an armored suit... Doesn't seem like much to me." He then noted with a hint of snark... That garnered a chuckle out of Ambrose, before the man shook his head and shrugged.

"I'd hazard a guess, mr. Montana, that you don't know Ozpin that well if you're suggesting a frontal attack, but I'd be wrong in such an assumption. After all, you yourself went to Beacon... And you know how well Ozpin defends his little cubs. And how well those Cubs themselves fight." Ambrose returned, yet maintaining his calm despite Montana's brash attitude.

"'Course I do." The man answered. "... I'm more concerned you won't hold up your end of the bargain than anything."

"How dare..." Lilac growled, readying herself to draw her blade.

"Try me..." Montana said with a grin, the toothpick between his lips following the corner of his mouth, his hand already waving around one of his revolvers...

"Enough!" Ambrose called out, his voice strong, harsh this time... "We're not here to bicker like petty children, miss Lilac, mister Montana..." He looked over to the Cowboy, then said "You will get your revenge as you seek it. Among those in Beacon there is a Schnee. The Heiress, to be exact... So if you wish to take revenge, you only have to be patient a little while longer. When all pieces fall into place... Beacon will be ours and your losses paid for in blood. I promised, mister Montana. I do not shy away from keeping my promises... No matter what it may take."

And then he turned to Lilac "Prepare yourself and Howard, Lilac... You're free to go."

"... Yes, sir." The woman stood up, bowed and gave their standard salute, before walking off with Howard behind her. Ambrose looked to Montana and nodded to him to go to his room. The Cowboy walked away from the table toward a corridor and took a left, before Ambrose sighed and rubbed his eyes. He looked toward the 6 others remaining at the table.

"Now, gentlemen... Let's talk assignment of assets..." He spoke calmly...

 ** _... Back in Beacon._**

Kurt had seated himself in one of the nearby bunks of the Spartan barracks. He took his helmet off and breathed in the air of the place, then said to himself "Ah... Home." Before gazing around at the Marines that socialized. He watched then... And his eyes widened... As he saw Cal walking toward him, a pair of soda cans in her hands and wolf ears atop her head. Real wolf ears. Kurt's eyes went wide for a moment... But out of politeness, he said nothing as he was handed the can and Cal sat down.

"So..." Cal said, popping open the can's cap and taking a quick swig. She looked to Kurt and said "Did you hear from Cortana? Our Thyroid gland implants have all failed, apparently... After almost 20-something checkups, Cortana said that whatever brought us here disabled them." before Kurt raised a brow and looked to her, a tad surprised... She shrugged.

"Well... We should talk to the doctor to get them back, right?" He then asked, opening his own can.

"... Mnah, Cortana talked to her and, despite a few surprised glances over to me, Daze and John, she said it should be absolutely fine..." Cal chuckled. "So... How've ya been? I heard from Linda and Alice you've been training up the next Spartan generation. The IIIs and all that... They good?" She then asked almost melancholically, watching as a few of the S-III Kids got out of their SPI suits, left in nothing but the undersuits below.

"Oh, they're great. I'd like to think I trained them well enough, considering everything that's happened." Kurt said, taking a sip of his own soda. "They can stand their own in combat, at least. So yeah..." before noticing them beginning to interact with Alice and the Spartans of NOBLE again. He chuckled, then said "Man, they must've missed Alice a lot..."

"She popular to the Beta crew?" Cal asked, brow raised.

"Ya kidding me? She was among our best. Everyone wanted to basically be her... And I swear I could see some of the kids stifling tears when Alice was marched off to her transport after final goodbyes and went on her Headhunter job, which is odd... I'd think they'd have cried during the tests I asked my AI to make for them." Kurt hummed, smiling as she saw Alice high-fiving with them. Some of the kids looked over her armor with jealous gazes, others congratulated her and such.

"Cool." Cal said, grinning... She then took a pause as she saw Polaski, the new pilot, scrambling toward her bird. She wanted to stop her... But then the alarm blared. The Spartans jumped to action and Alice immediately donned her helmet and grabbed her DMR and AR. Noble Team piled out and marched toward the landing pad, before Cal stood up and walked with Kurt toward the door, Daisy joining them.

"What's going on, Daisy?" Kurt asked.

"They're scramblin' to take on a base owned by the guys we first met in Vale, Cal. They're getting Sniper Support from Linda, too." Daisy answered, watching as the Spartans got aboard, followed by the IIs, Jorge and Linda. The troopers seated themselves, readied their weapons and gave salutes to the others, before the bird took off as night began to settle over Vale.

"We got any sorta monitors to follow their progress?" Cal inquired to her teammate.

"Aye, we got some in the makeshift CP. C'mon." Daisy waved the two Spartans with her and as they walked, she looked to the IIIs and said "Come along, boys and girls! We're gonna watch big sis's Alice and Linda kicking some ass!" and the Spartan kids cheered as they followed the girls and boy...

In Team JPDE's room, meanwhile, Jack was laying back on her bed, grinning as she watched a little scene unfold between Penny and Cortana... A rather cutesy scene. Cortana was patting a smiling Penny on the head, while Opportunity, Cortana's AI Child, was hugging her bigger 'sister' by the waist, burying her nose in Big Sis Penny's hip... Sitting opposite of her in a bed was Evelyn, grinning to her ears too as she looked at the Chief...

"Yo, John. Ya alright?" Jack asked, straightening up.

"I'm fine..." The Spartan said, seemingly out of it...

"John, c'mon... Partner." Jack said as she walked to him and sat down "I can bloody well tell you're out of it... Something the matter?"

"..." He looked to him, Evelyn and Penny, then simply stated "I... I'm, for the first time in my life, surprised. I must admit."

"Oh?" The girls raised brows, with Cortana grinning ear-to-ear.

"... I didn't expect you girls to react this openly to me saying I lied about my name. About my home... And about my people." The man admitted, looking to them. "This is not how teammates build trust... I-"

"Bah." Jack uttered out the noise, grinning. The Chief looked confused for a moment, before wanting to ask, but Jack cut him off again "Baaah, John. Bah, I say! Look at us... We're a squad of misfits. We got two AIs with robotic bodies, a colorblind bunny girl who fights with Tonfas, a ginger with swords that come out of her back and that she can puppet around, an armored, genetically-engineered super-badass and me, a blonde woman who wears men's uniforms and fights hand-to-hand. Some lies and misconceptions are supposed to happen... It'd be even weirder if it _didn't._ You lied to us and, for what reason exactly?"

"... To make sure you girls wouldn't worry about our war and everything we went through?" John answered with a brow raised.

"Meanin' ya lied to protect us. Both you and Cortana." Jack placed a hand on his shoulder "While you're De Facto team lead, I'm still the De Jure one, so I'm here to talk to my teammates... And to be honest, I like both your actual name and your fake one, so don't mind me switching between both at times. It's not like you lied about everything anyways, man. And lying to protect someone, be it from their own reaction to certain news or someone else's is excusable. Especially since you came clean... And trust me, I didn't wanna know that much about the Covies... Fact of the matter is, I, Penny and I'd bet even Carrots are happy to know you're here. And that your people won."

"She's right, you know?" Penny said, smiling as she looked over to him. "John... Dylan... You're still the D in our team. You still are our teammate and our military friend."

Evelyn snorted. "The D..."

"Carrots!" Jack warned through gritted teeth while John looked a bit surprised... Nobody since Kelly, Sam, Fred and Linda had welcomed him this way. Nobody since Halsey and the other Spartans... He actually found himself partly smiling. Again faint, but more prominent. Enough so that even Jack could make out a bit of it. She slapped him on the back, then said "Penny said it best, D-Man... You're still our Dylan and are also our John now... Hell, we can legally get your name changed to Dylan J. Braun if ya want and that name won't be seen as a lie anymore..." And she them wrapped her arm around his neck "We're teammates... And fuck anything that stands in our way or says otherwise."

Penny walked to John and placed a hand on his shoulder before hugging him too, while Cortana and Oppy sat to his side and smiled. "The girls are right, John... C'mon, stop beating yourself up over it. This is the first time I've seen you this roused up about anything you've done... Damn those ol' Thyroid implants, right?" She chuckled. John turned to them... And wanted to say something... But he felt two somethings that were big and soft push into his back and saw Evelyn's arms wrap around his neck... He took a moment, swallowed, then was inches short of swiveling about... But Jack was right onto her.

" _ **CARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTS!**_ "

... Not again...


	23. The SWORD

The Spartans readied their rifles. There would be no prisoners... Just a message.

The White Fang, as the Spartans had been briefed a few days ago, were a formerly-peaceful organization turned into a Terror Unit. Attacks, protests turning out violent and such other mishaps. Six watched the city below them as they flew over it. Standing up with the other Spartans as they reached target area, the group readied firearms and deployed from the Pelican into the industrial sector. The Fireteam formed up... They were here to send a message to the new version of the Insurgency. And Halsey agreed to it. The Spartans moved in formation through the smog, with Linda already climbing the ladder as they reached the entry to the place.

Taking up positions, the Spartans readied gear... The bastards declared war on them when they opened fire on Cal and Daisy. They were gonna finish this war. Alice took out a breaching charge fashioned out of some volatile Fire Dust crystals, before showing everyone to step back as she placed it against the wall... As she backed away, she recalled the patrols and... Shot one of the Dust Crystals...

The wall blasted open and the first casualty fell with it. The Fanger's corpse tumbled to the floor, broken and the others' eyes went wide as they saw the armored badasses move up inside, in combat formation. Six's DMR barked and Linda's rifle thundered from afar. A contrail hit one in the back and a bullet struck the second in the back of the head as he tried to run.

Other Spartans moved in with MA5s and what ammo they had for them, out to give a statement. Guns rattled and White Fang, trying to regain their composure, turned about and fired back. Rounds flew wide or bounced off the Spartans' armor or shields. Setting up on another rooftop was Jun, his rifle barking in synch with Linda's. Each shot was a hit. Carter followed with Kat behind Six while Jorge used his MG to keep anything he saw moving pinned.

Kat's pistol barked twice and Emile's shotgun thundered. Six didn't take to counting the kills...

Carter stopped them near by cover and showed them to scatter. "Six, with me on Intel. Two, Four, get the charges set up." He ordered to them in short bursts. The trio of Spartans beside their CO nodded and the team moved, while Jorge seemingly maintained his barrage of bullets. It felt like the big man wouldn't run out of ammo at this point... Carter and Six went to some buildings on the far side of the compound's warehouse. They took positions on opposing sides of a door and Carter raised three fingers. The countdown went fast and the Spartan kicked in the door, raising his rifle to greet any White Fang troops in the area... Two died in one shot. The AP round burst one's chest and nailed the still-recovering other in the head.

The Spartans scanned the room, before nodding to each-other and moving toward desks. Carter covered Six while the girl searched the work desks for any data or file useful to them. And they found what they needed. Several stacks of files stored within cabinets and containing the words 'White Fang' alongside bouts of intel. Six gave the files a quick once-over, before giving a thumbs up and stacking the files. She grabbed a White Fang bag from the floor, slid the files into it, then grabbed her rifle.

A door opened... And after a conclusive milisecond scan revealed a White Fang uniform, the rifles barked six times in unison... Three Fang troopers dead with multiple entry wounds each, collapsed to the floor. Exiting through that door as gunfire echoed from inside the warehouse, the duet of Noble Members found themselves facing their other comrades, engaged in a gunfight with White Fang.

Noticing some were on elevated platforms, the Spartans raised their DMRs to greet the bastards... Six grinned as she accounted several shots hitting her targets. Corpses fell from the catwalks above onto the floors and blood dripped from said catwalks' grating... A sniper round burst through the thin metal sheets that made up the walls of the Warehouse and the Spartans saw another Fanger collapse.

... And within minutes, the Spartans had evacuated. A charge fizzled and the crates on the shelves of the Warehouse all burst simultaneously, sending a dust cloud sky-high and scattering some of the smog in the Industrial Sector due to the blast. Thankfully, no civilians were harmed upon detonation of the device. Carter gave a nod to the others, then said "Mission accomplished."

 ** _... Back at Beacon..._**

More specifically in the Research and Development Area of Beacon's laboratories, the area which also contained the 'Forge', as it was nicknamed by the people who'd make new weapons or repair their old ones there, Doctor Halsey had asked John to give her access to the Magnetic Rifle forged by miss Rose. And miss Rose herself was asked to come and join the doctor...

So, strolling into the machinery-filled laboratory, Ruby, clad in her school uniform, with the cape still around her neck, peeked inside, to see the doctor scanning the weapon... The woman was working on one of the computers, probably not daring to take apart the weapon without either Johnny's or her permission... How nice of her! Ruby smiled... Then she froze as she heard "Miss Rose, don't just sit in the doorway. You can come in." and saw the Doctor turn toward her.

"O-Oh! Doctor, I didn't know you saw me." Ruby said, a hint surprised... She couldn't have-

"I didn't..."

Oh?

"Miss Rose, your boots are not exactly the most stealthy pair of footwear in the world. It sounded like a marching Marine while you were walking here." The woman stated simply. "Minus the yelling, that is." She quipped... Ruby chuckled. The Doctor didn't seem that bad...

Strolling inside, the red girl simply asked "So... I guess you want to know how I built Dyl... Err... John's Mag rifle?" with a peppy smile... She still hadn't gotten used to the fact John and the others were from outer space... At least as far as Evelyn had told her.

"Indeed... I'd be glad if you could share how you built it. It's quite an astonishing feat of engineering." The woman stated. Ruby chuckled, blushing, then said "Aw, shucks, Doc. It was nothing, really."

The Doctor chuckled. Ruby's peppy attitude was interesting. "Very well, then. Do you have its blueprints? I don't want to have to take it apart and would wish to return it to John ASAP." And she saw Ruby procure the documents from a back pocket, extending them to the doctor. She took them in her hands, then nodded "Thank you... Mind staying to explain certain mechanisms to me?"

"Sure thing, doc!" Ruby offered her smile yet again, walking up beside the woman as she unveiled the weapon's blueprints... Ruby'd been very, _very_ thorough with the Design... Halsey took a moment to appreciate the master-crafting that went into every small detail of the weapon's inner mechanism, even if it was meant to just be the weapon's feeding. The magnetic Dust rails must've been incredibly hard to procure, let alone manufacture... And the weapon's timed mechanism to allow a complete boost... The power modifier... The Dust recoil-denial stock... And the weapon's transformations...

"... Ruby Rose, you would have been a godsend to the UNSC." Halsey muttered. "... I understand from John you did this in _two_ days?"

"Yep." Ruby said.

"... _How?"_ Even the Doctor took at _least_ three weeks to design the MJOLNIR's final form. And that meant sleepless nights and metric tonnes of UNSC Recaff... Come to think of it, she'd lost track of time...

"... A couple sleepless nights and my mind running non-stop, giving me a lot of ideas." Red gave an awkward chuckle, rubbing her arm, blushing and sort of looking away... Yes, this girl would've been an amazing aide in any laboratory in the UNSC. "B-But I did it because John, then Dylan, was my friend and he and Penny asked me to do it for him because he only had his armor and a handgun, both of which were awesome in their own right, don't get me wrong! But I just couldn't let one of my friends, added to that a new one and one that was a common friend to Penny go around only in armor, even if it was pretty awesome... Also, don't get me wrong, he's still my friend, but I'm just getting used to calling him a new name, his original name and..." The girl began to defend, stuttering every so often and pressing her index fingers together in embarrassment... The Doctor shook her head... Excited little Rose.

And Ruby was thinking of John a little too much as of late, anyways...

"Well, miss Rose, you don't need to defend your actions... I assume John thanked you, but let me also say my thanks. This design is intricate enough that it is a functioning weapon, but simple enough to be worked into any standard-issue weapons system my other Spartans possess. You've given me and them weapons that can be adapted to Remnant's infrastructure and technology, house their ammo and basically nullified the need for me to manufacture extra ammunition by the container for their and the Marines' operations and... Well, saved me a lot of work. So yes, miss Rose, thank you."

"... No problem, doctor." Ruby smiled. "Also, it's just Ruby... If you don't mind."

"Not at all, Ruby." The woman said, patting the girl on the head "Care to assist me in the modifications? I'll need to recall several bouts of armament from the Spartan and Marine units present, but I think they can withstand the wait for now. No major action will be undertaken while we're working on their gear... Also, do you drink Coffee?" She asked.

"... Yep. With, and I quote Weiss on this one, 'blasphemous amounts of cream and sugar'." Ruby said, smile withstanding

"Then I'll ask that cups be brought to us... I fear we'll be staying here for a few days and nights... You may also wanna announce to your teammates that we will be here..." Halsey noted. "Also, speaking of Miss Schnee, can you ask her to tag along with us too? I feel like we will need some of her Dust expertise. I want to also make standardized high-power rounds with Dust-infused warheads. Considering we'll be ditching the propulsion mechanism, like Dust gunpowder and such, we can use the extra weight to add the Dust in it."

"Wow, Doc. You really thought this through." Ruby noted, brows raised.

"Well, Miss Ro-..." She noticed Ruby giving a slight pout "Ruby..." And that relaxed the girl "... I'm only following some of your designs." And she pointed to one of the Dust-infused round prototypes Ruby had made. Indeed, this girl must've been sleepless if she forgot she made the designs herself. "That also means we can make smaller, standard-issue Full-Metal-Jacket Armor-Piercing rounds. More would fit in the magazines of the weapons due to the size... So, go ahead, Ruby. Call miss Schnee and let us begin our little manufacturing spree."

Ruby smiled, then saluted "Yes, ma'am!"

... With Ruby and soon-to-be Lab Assistant Weiss on their work with the doctor, the other Spartans milled about Beacon as openly as they could, clad either in PT Clothing or casual uniforms. The latter being what Sam chose to wear as his off-duty attire. It was odd, being out of the MJOLNIR suit after only having just been revived to don it not so many days or weeks ago. He strolled down Beacon's alleys calmly, holding a book about the Great War in one hand and a pistol in the holster on his hip... The fact that Vale and Vacuo relied on Militias while Atlas and Mistral had properly trained and well-equipped armies was a staggering disadvantage... And yet Vale came out on top. He wondered if those Militia units, or at least survivors thereof, still existed...

He'd have to look into that later... He watched Blake stroll out of the library, a book in hand. He took a moment to put his own book away, then leaned against the wall. The girl had stopped just in front of him. And with her peripheral vision, she gazed upon him. Enough so that she quickly blushed and closed her book, before turning to him with a smile... Her bow twitched.

"Hey, Blake." Sam waved.

"Hello, Sam." Blake nodded back.

"You up for a bout of reading? No studies today, just some light lecture." He asked, noticing the book she read wasn't school-based...

"Uhm, sure. Got any book in mind?" She asked.

"How about that series you're reading? Start it over?" He offered, making Blake blush and scan her surroundings. This wasn't happening. This _was not_ happening. One of the hottest guys in Beacon basically asked her to read Smut with him. Her eyes wide, the Kitten was unsure what to answer... She felt someone slap her on the back... Oh, no... Oh, _please,_ no...

"HEY, BLAKEY!"

She could almost _hear_ Yang's shit-eating grin...

Growling, the cat turned toward Yang with almost a death glare... And was met by the grinning blonde brawler, who had her palm on her back. The grin didn't vanish off the woman's face even as she saw Blake's Evil Cat glare almost piercing into her skull. Simply ignoring her, she said "So this is the guy you've been spending late nights _studying_ with! Nice pick, kitty." She winked to Blake, before turning to him and continuing "Sup! I'm Blake's teammate and Partner, Yang Xiao-Long. Hope she hasn't been a bother during the _studying._ " and she raised her brows twice, quickly.

"Hello to you as well, miss Xiao-Long. I'm Sam. And yes, I and Blake studied." Sam said, extending his hand and seemingly completely oblivious to what Yang implied. Yang gripped and shook it, grinning.

"Just Yang, 'kay?" The girl winked, before turning to an already-fuming Blake...

"Heh." Yang chuckled. "Well, I'll be outta your hairs, kids. Gotta go meet with Ruby and Weiss and get them something to eat and drink in the lab. Doc Halsey's been keeping them busy with some new guns and Dust applications. See y'all." And she gave a mock salute to Blake, before winking to Sam as she strolled away. Blake gritted her teeth, ears twitching behind her bow as she glared at Yang... Why was she all up in her business?

She paused, her face turning redder as she realized Sam must've been looking at her, before turning to him. He seemed unfazed by the events. Sam sighed, then said "Well, she seems similar to Kurt." before patting the girl on the shoulder and saying "You okay?"

Blake quickly nodded, looking at his hand on her shoulder... Her bow twitched again...

"... You faunus really act like your animal counterparts." He noted, making the kitten snap ramrod straight, eyes threatening to leave their orbits... HOW DID HE KNOW!?

The Spartan sighed, then said "Your bow, Blake. It keeps twitching." and the girl, upon realizing her stupidity and poor control of her ears' motor functions, went limp... To the point where Sam had to jump in and catch her, grabbing her by the waist. Blake took a moment to register Sam as he looked at her, worried, then she heard him ask "Blake, you okay? You just went limp on me..."

"... I... Uh..." Aaaaaand it kicked in... Her blush returned from what was once her pale face... " _Oh._.." She squeaked out as she saw his muscles bulging. He helped her up and looked her in the eye. Placing a hand on her forehead, he sighed as she swallowed and yelped, before the man nodded to her "You've got a fever... I think you may've caught a cold."

"I... Uh... I... Oh, nonono, I'm fine! C-Can we still do that reading thing?" Blake stuttered again, rubbing her arm. "I-I-I'll go get my Ninjas of Love set and w-we can find somewhere s-s-secluded to... read..." She yelped as she realized what that also entailed, before seeing he was still unfazed... Either this man was a saint, or he was the _densest_ Spartan among the lot.

"... Sure...? You can call me on my scroll once you find a suitable place and I'll come join you..." The man raised a brow... Blake quickly nodded, before bolting fast enough out of the place that the Spartan could swear the woman had left an after-image. People of Remnant were odd, or so the Spartan thought... He strolled inside to return the book on the Great War on the agreed term, as per regulation.

"Thank you, young man." The librarian said with a kind smile. She was an old lady, with grey hair and amber eyes. "Not a lot of youngsters today respect terms."

"Well, I'm different, ma'am." Sam noted calmly.

"So I can see. No wonder miss Belladonna likes you, my boy." The woman said blatantly, smiling and waiting for a reaction. Sam nodded... And didn't seem to get it... The woman chuckled as she waved to him, then said "Ah, youth these days, unable to tell feelings apart... It is almost cute." as she checked the book back in and set it on the counter top.

 ** _In Vale..._**

A woman, clad in a black suit with a shirt of the color of lavender underneath the jacket and a pair of high heels did her makeup in front of her mirror... Her amber eyes locked onto the mirror's screen, she let the hairstylist arrange her bob cut hair, which was a lighter shade of lilac at the top and faded into the same color as her shirt as it went to the tips. She also had that one loose strand that just wouldn't sit still... Sighing as she stood up from her seat and strolled toward the studio's desk and blue background, the woman listened to the camera crew's chatter. She put her earpiece into her right ear, then sat herself down and neatly arranged the papers on the desk, buttoning up the shirt.

A production light clicked red once...

"We're live in 3... 2... 1..." A voice spoke and the light went green. The woman cleared her throat and picked up her papers...

The camera began to roll.

"Good evening. I'm Lisa Lavender, from the Vale News Network and these are our top stories tonight:" The woman spoke calmly as the first bout of images rolled up on screen "Accident on the Vale motorways from Central Vale to the Industrial district." with the image of a crash on the road and police on-site appearing. "The fall of a star." with the image of a woman clad in a lilac dress, her back turned to the camera, appearing "And the return of the Vale Wolves." with images of a sport playing in the background...

She grinned "But first... Mysterious incident involving the White Fang."

Images rolled onto the screen of security cameras watching figures moving through the smog of the Industrial district. And Lisa Lavender began to speak once again "This evening, at around 7:30 PM local time, a White Fang base came under attack by the hand of unknown assailants. The Fang base, a disused Warehouse that stored volatile Dust for one of the local Schnee factories, was destroyed with all contents in an explosion. All guards were found dead within the fence perimeter with wounds from what is assumed to be weapons of a unit of secretive Commandos..."

"The local residents say they witnessed these commandos in action and a family rescued by them describes the soldiers as:" And she cleared her throat, before beginning to read the quote from the papers "'Soldiers clad in utilitarian, heavy-duty armors, but that moved with the agility of a Mistrali silk dancer doing their trade.'" and she looked up "The family's claims about the Unknown Soldiers that saved them were backed by three bodies being discovered outside one of the many residential blocks for workers within the Industrial Area. They issue their gratitude toward the soldiers."

"With a strange concentration of non-lethal Radiation discovered by the Vale Institute of Science and Technology around Vale and its outer borders, could we assume these soldiers are of interest to us? That they're here to keep us safe from outer threats? And, as some Rem-Net theories that have already emerged dare to ask, are these soldiers owned by the mysterious headmaster of Vale's own Huntsman Academy, Beacon?" The woman looked at the camera with a smirk. "These questions and more will be answered in due time. We could not reach the Headmaster for a declaration as of yet and the soldiers have yet to re-emerge after their stunt tonight, so it is to early to say anything... Now, onto our other stories..."

... A screen was turned off in front of Ozpin within his office and Doctor Halsey, who'd been listening to and recording the broadcasts, looked the man in the eye. "Is miss Lavender going to be a problem, Headmaster?"

"I don't believe so, Doctor..." The Headmaster noted. "So far, she's said no malicious things about the Spartans, even if there's so little info on them... Though I do believe we will have to soon go at least partially public with this. Would you care to help me formulate a response to calm the people of Vale?" And he nodded to the woman... He was asking her to tell the world of the Spartans this early...

"We do not have to give the full story, Doctor... I've a few ideas in mind for the Spartans, the Pelican drop ships and such, though it may involve your Spartans and Marines having to maintain secrecy." Ozpin offered...

"... What're you thinking?" Damn, the man was fast...

"A... Revitalized Vale Defense Force, under a new name of an organization meant for peacekeeping." The man offered.

Sounded simple enough to maintain as a background... "What name do you have in mind?"

"The Strategic Warfare and Operational Reconnaissance Division of Vale." Ozpin said "The SWORD, in short." and he saw as the Doctor began to ponder... "I will send a request to the council to approve of this idea and will also request further funding for the organization... And I want you and your Spartans to be the emblem and face of the group. The UNSC Eagle could very well serve as SWORD's emblem, if not the Spartan Insignia."

"... You want my Spartans to lie again?" Halsey asked, seemingly surprised.

"For the protection of the larger masses." The Headmaster noted "I'll tell anyone who knows of your kin's true origins in Beacon to keep quiet for the sake of both us and the world..." He interlaced his fingers, leaned forward and asked "Is this okay with you, Doctor?" before letting the woman ponder. A slew of emotions went across as she rubbed her chin... Before finally, she settled on a calm gaze with which she turned to Ozpin... She extended her hand and the Headmaster smiled wryly...

And with that agreement sealed, they shook hands...


	24. Taking Initiative

**_... Forever Fall..._**

"What the _hell_ happened to our warehouse?!" An angry voice bellowed, full of rage... It was impossible... Nobody knew the location, or the fact that the Fang was using the place as their own. In the same vein, even if they did know, they'd have stayed quiet... The workers in the industrial sector knew to fear the White Fang... This warranted a response, lest his branch of the Fang seem weak.

"Sir... An unknown six-man team apparently entered the base. Rumors are spreading that it may be Beacon's way to counter our forces and their late-night activities..." One of the man's Lieutenants spoke, a hint of fear in his voice. "No survivors out of the Garrison..." He then noted... Gritting his teeth, his horns itching, the masked Bull of the White Fang's Vale Branch, Adam Taurus, glared at the man from behind his mask...

"... Rally a squad and send them to the Industrial Sector... Now." He growled "I want a residence block burned to the ground and anyone who tries to escape, shot... We lost good men. They deserve to lose the people who they thought were safe..."

"S-Sir." Nodded the trooper, feeling his heart stop... This was not good... It was gonna draw unwanted attention...

* * *

A few days had passed since SWORD was declared an entity, at least through physical communication to the Spartans from Halsey. Daisy and Cal went on with their gym clothes toward the designated area where it was located, as per John's showing. Daisy hummed along to a song playing in a pair of headphones she'd gotten for the training. Meanwhile, Cal strolled beside her, looking around Beacon's halls and architecture. Daisy seemed happy to just unwind today, considering the most recent evens in Beacon were of some importance.

... 'Least they were done playing mind games with the Headmaster and others. Beacon students were all pretty cool, considering they gave zero fucks about their lies.

As they strolled into the Gym, Daisy took off her headphones and said "Ya mind if I hit the treadmill for a few minutes?" to which Cal shook her head.

"I'll go to do some bench-pressing, then. We'll meet back here in a few." Cal gave her friend a smile. Daisy did the 'Finger Guns' toward Cal and walked off toward the Treadmill, placing her towel on one of the arms used for support, arranging her PT Gear and hitting up the button to mid-speed. She was just in sight of Cal's bench press bench, so they could easily see each-other if needed.

Cal smiled, then set up her barbell with two 25 kilo weights on each side. That meant around 100 k, so that wasn't anything to scoff at. After a short stretch to prep her muscles, Cal sat on the bench, leaned back and set herself up below the barbell, despite the onlookers staring with shock. She heard whispers about how she 'wouldn't be able to lift that' or that 'it was too much'. She grinned, then wrapped her hands around the designated grips on the barbell... Three... Two... One...

She lifted... Huh, easy as pie.

The other gym-goers around her went bug-eyed as Cal began to bench-press. You could see the tendons and muscles straining in her arms and back, but the Spartan lady kept the work up. Passing her 15th Rep easily, Cal started to hear cheers from the people around her as she continued working. Even Daisy had to look back and grin as she saw her good friend gathering up a crowd around her. Daisy shook her head, chuckling.

... Cal had reached her two-hundred Ninetieth rep at this point. She _was_ slightly feeling the burn. A bit of sweat fell from her brow and her muscles began to hurt. She began to work for number 300... Slowly, 294, 295... 296, 297... She began to pant, her heart beating a hint faster. She was close... 298... She heard another couple beads of sweat drop... 299... She saw Daisy coming toward her and heard her cheer "Go, Cal, Go! You got this!"

... 300... And the Spartan let the barbell back onto its supports, before straightening up, taking her towel and wiping her forehead. Huh... She'd been sweating more than she'd expected... She saw Daisy grinning, then said "Well, I did it..." to which the people around cheered too. She was helped up by Daisy, who grinned and said "Mayhaps we should get something to drink before we continue?"

"Agreed..." Cal said, taking Daisy's hand. The two strolled out to the halls, where they found a vending machine that sold all kinds of drinks, alongside the one they needed most:Water. Cal took out a Lien card she'd been given as allowance, then slid it across the machine's scanner, before selecting the water. The machine clicked and the bottle dropped into the holder... And Cal found herself in need to bend down to grab it.

... She felt someone pinch her butt and yelped, bottle in hand. She turned around, glaring, only to see a chuckling Daisy... "What?" The blue-eyed blonde asked with a grin "You got a cute butt."

"Daisy..." Cal sighed, before leaning against the machine, slightly moving it. Her ears twitched a bit in embarrassment and she rolled her eyes, moving to open her water bottle... She watched as Daisy stretched over, one hand aimed at her head, before asking " _What_ are you doing?" and seeing Daisy lean forward... She squinted, pursing her lips as she felt Daisy pat her head... Jesus fucking Christ.

"Whaddaya want from me, Cal? Your ears are so darn fluffy!" Daisy said excitedly, continuing to pet the Wolf-Faunus Spartan...

"... Well, I walked in at the wrong moment." A gruff voice said. The girls turned to see a Marine clad in nothing but his fatigues and with a bottle of water in hand... He had a thick beard and mustache and seemed a little more than embarrassed. "Sorry, Spartans. I'll be on my way now... Gotta go find one of my squadmates." and with that, he strolled off...

"Well... That was awkward." Daisy quipped, still petting Cal... She felt Cal's hand wrap around her wrist, before the woman's grip tightened as she pulled the hand away... And to that, the blonde looked to her comrade and asked "What's up, Cal?"

"... Stop petting me. I'm not a dog." Cal noted in deadpan.

"Well, technically..." Daisy chuckled.

"... No." Cal glared. She felt like she was about to punch the girl...

Awkward... Daisy sighed, then said "Okay, okay... Sorry, Cal." before looking back and saying "Let's go back. We got some training to do after all." and Cal nodded. The two stepped inside, only to see people gathered around the Holoscreen. Joining up with the Huntsmen here, Daisy asked one of them "What's going on?" as she looked ahead. The Vale News Network was live...

 ** _BREAKING NEWS:Massacre in the Industrial Sector..._**

Lisa's Amber eyes stared with dismay at the camera as she began to report "... Word has come today that one of the city blocks housing some of the people who encountered the Commando squad responsible for the raid on the White Fang base earlier this week was burned to cinders... So far, no survivors are reported and it is unknown if this was a mere electrical fire, as claimed by local land lords... Or if it is retribution for the destruction of the local Fang base... Within the coming hour, the Headmaster of Beacon said he would reveal the origins of the Commandos... Alongside a statement after this tragic event."

... The images playing in the background were of the fire from the city block... Cal and Daisy took a moment to register what they were seeing as firefighters worked their asses off to stop the fire. Gritting their teeth, the duet of Spartans dashed out of the Gym and rushed over to the FOB. As they arrived, they saw Marines and Spartans donning their armors. They moved for Foe Hammer's Pelican...

"We wanna join!" Cal yelled to Fred, Kurt and the others

"Yeah! Wait for us to get our armors!" Daisy completed...

Moments later, the two joined the Spartans and Marines on the gunship. They racked bolts on their rifles and Cal asked "Where we going, Fred?" to which the man looked to them and, readying his DMR, said "We're gonna go with Doctor Halsey for the reveal of SWORD. Eyes open and ready yourselves. Someone may try to hijack our little meet'n'greet."

"Let'em fuckin' try." Daisy growled... The Fang was gonna burn for this shit. They attack first, the Spartans retaliate and now they attack civilians... Cowardly pieces of shit... The girls watched as Doctor Halsey appeared, under escort of John, Kelly and Linda. She pushed her glasses over the bridge of her nose, then said "This is it, Spartans... It seems our new War has begun... It is time we announce to the world what the White Fang did entails payback and that we will be the ones to give it... We're here in Vale's seemingly darkest hour, so be on your best behavior when we get to the meet and greet."

The Spartans nodded "Yes, ma'am!" As they readied themselves to leave. John sat down next to his team, while Jorge and NOBLE Team took up positions at the far back of the Blood Tray. Foe Hammer, though her usual peppy self, decided to keep quiet for now. She powered her engines at John's hand signal, then took off. The bird flew in toward the city...

On the ground, there was a podium in the middle of a raised square in Vale. Hundreds of people piled out of the houses, with the reporters at the forefront, including VNN representatives. The podium had a microphone... And it waited for Doctor Halsey to step up to it. Waiting beside the podium was Headmaster Ozpin. She and her Spartans stepped up to the podium as people regarded them with awe. Stepping up with help from Ozpin, whom nodded to her, as if showing he'd allow her to have the word for now, to build trust, the woman took to the podium... She watched as the sea of people gathered, eyes wide, while her Spartans, armed and ready, took her side, lining up neatly, helmets on their heads...

 ** _-Play Transformers, the Score:Arrival to Earth-_**

... She swallowed... And began, her poker face already on "A greeting to you, people of Remnant... " She looked around. "I wish to set a record straight, to begin with. My introduction will come later... I want the White Fang to understand something... What has occurred today... What has happened to the poor workers in the Industrial sector's Habitation Block Number 13, was a horrifying way of sending a message... It was a despotic, vile exclamation of a once-peaceful organization's now dark motif... You have declared war on the innocent of Remnant... You have killed almost 500 people due to you being unable to understand that what you are doing is wrong... Some voices say we attacked first, we burned their base and provoked this attack... A base that was illegal and should never have existed there. Not to mention that, during our first arrival within Vale, it having been secret, yes... As per summons of Headmaster Ozpin..." She nodded to the man, who nodded back "We were shot at by your soldiers."

"You openly declared war on the organization I stand before the people of Remnant today to represent while we'd not done anything to you. We hadn't even touched your world, your people, yet you still fired upon us with disregard. The leaders of the White Fang need to understand that their acts were acts of terrorism and mindless bloodshed..." She turned more stern as she looked at the cameras "Are acts for which _we..."_ She opened her arms, motioning to her Spartans "Will not Stand! We will not stand and watch as the people we've been asked to defend are murdered in the streets by a tyrannical entity that once served as a beacon of light and hope for the oppressed Faunus, for your people, whom, might I add, were also among the casualties! 30 of those dead in Hab Block 13's fiery collapse were _Faunus_! Faunus men, returning from their jobs to families! Faunus Women, who waited for their husbands or brothers! Faunus _children_ whose lives were so unceremoniously smothered in the flames of a War _they had no business in **and**_ by the very organization _claiming to protect them_ _from JUST THESE KINDS OF ACTS_! ACTS THEY SAY ARE PERPETRATED BY HUMANS!"

She watched as the people around, Faunus and Human alike, stared at her, raising gazes, solemn looks on their faces... She'd make a good orator, but for now... Focus... "What the White Fang has done today has branded them as nothing but vile terrorists! NOTHING BUT MONSTERS with only their best interest at heart! And my organization? Those who raided your damned base, those soldiers who fought to protect the families you _murdered?_ They are itching for vengeance! Children of the Faunus! Look! Look at what your people, what those you'd hoped would defend you are doing to not only Humanity, whom they say oppressed you, but to you as well! All because you didn't agree, all because my soldiers saved the lives of those whom the Fang sought to see _dead_ for opposing them!"

Halsey clenched her fists and slammed them onto the podium "No More! No more lies! No more appeasement! No more taking what the White Fang does at face value as what is meant to protect the Faunus from Human supremacists and unjust segregation! No _more_! Too many, Human and Faunus alike, have died due to these acts and what occurred today is the final straw... Humanity and the true representatives of the Faunus have drawn the line."

To a wave of ever-expanding cheers, Cal stepped up alongside Daisy, both flanking Halsey... And both girls removed their helmets... Cal revealing her Faunus heritage and Daisy, her human one... They had solemn gazes as the crowds gasped and went bug-eyed at the sight. Halsey continued calmly "I am Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, friend and confidant to Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon, the man who trains your future generation of Protectors... And for events such as these, I and my Warriors, my Spartans, have been called forth by him. In Defense of Remnant and All Her People, we strike true as the weapon of Vale..."

She pushed some hair out of her eyes, then looked at the cameras once more and pridefully proclaimed "We are The Special Warfare and Operative Reconnaissance Division of Vale. The SWORD!" As an image of two crossed swords and a Spartan Mark VI Helmet appeared... "And what occurred today will _not_ repeat under our watch! Soldiers of the White Fang, heed my call! Come out and surrender now... Or be prepared to pay the ultimate price for your failed ideology's misgivings! We will protect those under our watch, for us, as soldiers, do not fight because we hate what stands in front of us, BUT BECAUSE WE _LOVE_ WHAT IS BEHIND US! The people of Vale and Remnant as a whole are under our guard and let there be no mistake, where one will come to harm and the Huntsman Shield cannot withstand... The SWORD will strike in retaliation, for those we cherish!"

And the cheers intensified to the point they got deafening and the flashes of the cameras went wild... Cal and Daisy gave each-other smiles, then looked to the Doctor, who nodded to both of them. The Spartans gave salutes and the Marines followed. Halsey turned to meet Ozpin's gaze and received a smile from him. With a nod, he helped her off the podium and John stepped up beside them, rifle stowed on his back. She placed a hand on his armored shoulder, then gave a nod.

The Spartans watched as the emblem of the SWORD flew behind them in hologram... Johnson chuckled, a cigar in his mouth, then said "My, my, aren't the doc and Headmaster pretentious..." before taking a puff, before being elbowed in the shoulder by Glynda. He chuckled, letting that one slide, then looked over to the Marines, who had giant grins on their faces.

"That was... Interesting... Doctor." John said, looking at Halsey. "I've never heard you speak like that."

"Well, John... It took a bit of preparation. When I wasn't working with miss Rose to facilitate new, more powerful weaponry for us, I was with Headmaster Ozpin, working on this speech." Halsey noted, taking off her glasses and cleaning them with her labcoat. The woman seemed as calm about having held a speech as she was during the Spartan Training the entire group underwent.

"Indeed. She came up with it mostly on her own." Ozpin smirked, twirling his cane. "Now, I do believe we have to return to Beacon... I've negotiated with the council to assign at least 3% of the yearly budget of Vale to SWORD... I do believe you and your people may want to mount an expedition to that mountainous area with the relic ASAP, Doctor. Gods only know who else is gonna be there when you arrive..."

"I concur, Headmaster. I and the Spartans will begin planning an expedition... We'll leave half of the Spartan and Marine contingent in Vale and take only one Pelican." Halsey noted. Ozpin showed the lady to lead the way, then looked to John and gave the Spartan an approving nod as they walked off... John raised his hand and signaled the Spartan and Marine detachments to form up and prepare to board.

Vale would be safe. This bunch'a'badasses would make sure of it...


	25. The Truth Will Confuse You

Another two days had passed since SWORD had officially come to being... Moving aboard Polaski's Armored Pelican and with two extra cargo Bullheads given by Headmaster Ozpin and the Council at Ozpin's behest, the Master Chief, Blue team and half of Johnson's Marine contingent, minus Johnson himself, readied weapons. Doctor Halsey and Cortana joined the expedition as well, with Cortana giving a mock salute to Johnson as the Bullheads were being loaded with food and equipment, alongside what ammo the Spartans could gather for the operation... Halsey would need to get to modifying the weapons upon their return.

She heard a call for them, then turned out from the Pelican, her gaze meeting the rest of team JPDE, aka John's current Beacon team, as they walked toward her. Jack waved, half a grin on her face, as she watched John step out from the vehicle. Halsey hummed as the Spartan and girl met midway and Jack, a bag on her back, smirked and asked "Think you're gonna leave us behind here, Johnny?"

"You girls volunteering to tag along on the exploration mission?" John raised a brow.

"Ya kidding?" Evelyn's grin never faded throughout the entire time she or her friends spoke "Johnnie, ever since your teammates have been arriving, we haven't gotten that much time to spend together. And we'd like to get to know our resident badass. If that means going to discover the stuff that sent him and his Army of Badasses over, you're damn right we'll be coming with you..."

"..." John raised a brow "You've been spending time with Johnson, haven't you?"

The girl chuckled "Maybe."

"... Alright." He looked to Halsey "Ma'am, mind if the rest of team JPDE tags along with us?"

Halsey shook her head and said "Quite the contrary, John. We could use the Huntress backup." before taking a Scroll Tablet out of her pocket and activating it. Oppy waved to them from behind Headmaster Ozpin and miss Goodwitch...

Evelyn, Penny and Jack smiled. And John shrugged, then showed them to follow to the Pelican. As the troops boarded and manned the transports around, the engines whirred, roared and powered. Lifting off the ground first, the armed Pelican flown by Polask went out at half-power and lower altitude, to allow for the Bullheads to keep the pace. Flying low also meant less of a chance to be spotted by anything hostile, but also gave them less visibility about anything below that may pose a threat. As the birds flew in hard and fast, in a loose echelon formation with the Pelican in the lead, the Spartans and Marines aboard each aircraft sat calmly.

"So... Doc." Jack said, looking to Halsey as the woman ran through data on the newly-acquired tablet about their heading and the coordinates of the device as per Cortana's estimates.

"Hmm?" She looked over to Jack. "Yes, miss Ivory?" and noticed she looked a bit worried.

Breathing in and holding her back close to her chest, Jack asked "We gonna be gone for a while? That's a lot of supplies on those Bullheads."

"I'm accounting for a two-hour flight forward and then a landing at a nearby village, as per Ozpin's guidance... And yes, miss Ivory, we will be staying there a while." She stated calmly. "Do not worry, there'll be constant flights to and fro, so you will be able to return to Beacon if you do get bored... My intent is to figure out the technology that has been transferring us here, or at least what it's using. Slipstream Space Matrices for transport is the only thing I know... But the whole situation with us and the Spartans?"

"Uhh, Doc?" Evelyn raised a brow. "How... How old are you guys and gals supposed to be anyways, if ya don't mind me askin'?"

"... I'm around 64 years old." Halsey deadpanned...

"WHAT?!" The trio of girls let out in shock.

"Doctor, you don't look that age!" Penny stated the obvious... Cutesy little girls.

"Yes, yes, I know... That is why I want to find out what caused the de-aging in all of us." Halsey said, turning back to her tablet. "John and the other Spartans are supposed to be 40+, by the way..." And she looked over the rim of her glasses, watching as the girls' eyes darted at the Spartans around them and at John himself, who was seated near by the door, his Mag Rifle drawn and aimed outward...

"John's 40?" Jack mused...

"... Thank God for whatever insanity sent them here, then." Evelyn grinned, leaning on her hands. Jack snorted and Penny smiled, giving a nod... Watching them react the way they did made Halsey curious as to how quickly these girls adapted to weirdness... And how weirdness mixed into their lives so much so that even this wouldn't make them flinch upon hearing.

... Halsey had to respect the cool heads of the girls, but also wonder what would've affected all 3 as such that they didn't... Well, truth be told, being told your newest comrade and teammate was from outer space, then being asked to keep it secret would be enough reason for the girls to not even give a damn. She looked out toward the forests and hills as they flew over them. Beacon had long disappeared from sight. Halsey unclipped her harness, stood up and slowly walked toward the back of the ship, before sitting down on the floor of the ship and watching as the forest rushed past them.

"Doctor?" Fred said, looking at her as she sat, cross-legged, on the floor... She stared outward... Calm...

Fred and John exchanged glances. Chief shrugged at his friend, who sighed and looked back out, aiming his DMR and looking at the trees below... "So, John..." He started, garnering a glance toward him from the Blue Team XO as he kept his eyes down the scope of the rifle. Fred continued "How are you feeling?" as he scanned the treeline, finger away from the trigger.

"... I'm okay, Fred." Chief stated. "Why?"

"You've been on Remnant far longer than many of us have been. And the Thyroid Implant's been failing for you longer than it has for us." Fred gave his answer. "I'm concerned."

"About?" John asked.

"None of our augs failed before, John..." The man sighed. "Why do you think I'm worried?"

"... I agree with you there, but I think I'll be fine for the time being." John said. "Thanks for the concern, though..."

"Hey, no problem. Also..." He looked back to Sam, who gave a nod to him, before saying "How're you feeling about Sam being back?"

That did hit a chord... "... I can openly say I'm glad he's back too. As I am about many of our fallen comrades." John said with a more melancholic undertone... Fred agreed. It was good to have as much of the old crew back as could be. "Truth be told, I was wondering why you didn't land with Linda and Kelly... Something happened?" John then asked, looking to him.

... Well... That was embarrassing "Yeah, but we can talk about it later..."

"If you say so..." John shrugged, turning his gaze back to his scope.

"... It is good to see and hear you two interacting again." Halsey said simply, staring at the beautiful nature rushing past them. The Doctor's calculations were correct. As the aircraft flew in, it had finally entered Vale's sprawling mountainous region, also known as its natural barrier against Grimm bigger than the average Beowolf. Below them, on some of the peaks and in the valleys, were small encampments and villages which were currently housing people, as could be seen from the smoke rising from chimneys and the campfires... The aircraft moved slow enough for the Spartans and Marines aboard to see that it was as they believed. There weren't many Grimm moving around and even the Nevermores decided to stay away from the aircraft...

Doctor Halsey had fallen asleep after returning to her seat... She felt a nudge on her shoulder and, snorting as she tried to breathe in after being woken up, the woman's eyes opened... She looked around as she saw her Spartans standing up and preparing their equipment... And then ahead, to see Jack. The blonde looked the doctor in the eye and said "I think we're here, doc... Though we're gonna have to go on foot from a nearby village."

"Oh?" Halsey's brow quirked up. She stood up, grabbed her travel pack and a standard-issue M6 Magnum handgun from the netting above, then slung the former on her back and the latter into its holster. She nodded to Jack and the others, then watched as the vehicle touched down on a landing pad within the bigger village around. As Halsey stepped out, she felt the breeze and smelled the smell of the mountain air. They were landed in a narrow valley where the only way through was the main village road itself... People watched with awe from their houses and around the landing pad as the Spartans disembarked, followed by the trio of Huntresses-in-Training and the Marines, who unloaded supplies.

The village itself was a combination of new and old, with houses made of wooden logs and other material sprawling across one thirtieth the length of the rather long valley. In the middle was a large dirt road that presumably was used for travelling cars and carriages and on both ends of the village, there were wooden walls that were reinforced by a local group of Militia and a few Huntsmen. Automated defense turrets were also added recently, as could be seen by metal platforms that had square, three-barrel sentry turrets, whose sensors scanned the treeline around for Grimm. The turrets snapped to and fro... The Spartans and their aides had landed right next to the eastern exit of the village... And the Main Street was also full of people that were talking. Some even waved to the Spartans with smiles, others simply regarding them from a distance.

Shops and a market were actively traveled to and fro by the people, who bought supplies, food and other items. And more in the center, facing one another, were two buildings. One had a massive clock embedded in its front, just above the main entrance and a sign below that clock read 'Town Hall'. Just opposite of it was a large, two-story cabin with a watchtower and bell, which was manned by a single local Militiaman... In the corner of her eye, somewhere... The woman saw something square... _Blue..._

But her attention was quickly taken away from that...

A raggedy man with brown hair and blue eyes appeared before them, a smile always present on his face. He wore a brown coat and a cherry-colored bowtie, with a white undershirt as well as a pair of brown pants and leather dress shoes. His hair was rather scruffy-looking. He approached the Spartans and said "Hello there!" in a British accent "Aren't you people armed and armored! Ozpin did say you'd be coming toward us! Oh, this is exciting!"

"... Hello?" Halsey said, approaching the man.

"Ah, greetings! You must be Doctor Halsey!" He said jovially, extending his hand "I'm Doctor Smith, archaeologist stationed in the beautiful village of Hermitage! I dabble in the art of digging old stuff that used to belong to precursor civilizations up." And he kept his smile as Halsey shook his hand. He continued "Ozpin told me you were looking for some sort of structure or item hidden near by the Village and I just couldn't refuse the opportunity to help fellow science enthusiasts from finding what they're looking for."

"... A pleasure to meet you, Doctor." Halsey gave a nod to the man... Something feeling eerily familiar about him. "Are you the one whom Ozpin arranged for us to meet?"

"Yes, but you caught me at quite an inopportune time now, I'm afraid." The man said, a hint of dismay in his voice "I'll take you up the mountain path to where you want to reach and then I'll have to deal with something back in town. My companions are going to be waiting for me at the Red Rooster Saloon. But we do have to catch up after you've found what you're looking for."

"I see..." Halsey nodded... Quite an eccentric man, this one... "If you would just show us the path, I'm sure I and my Spartans can make the climb. That way, we won't take away from your time, Doctor Smith." to which the man nodded, smile still present. Halsey just felt something eerie, even as she followed the man down the stairs from the landing pad. She showed the Spartans to keep up behind her while the Marines and Polaski unloaded the supplies...

The man stopped in the center of the village, near by a cafe, then pointed behind the building toward an incline that had been carved in to the shape of steps. "The path is just up those stairs and to the right. The village was used for mining, but now it moreover is a trading post and touristic attraction since there's so many ruins around it that me and my assistants have dug up." And then he clapped once "Now then, I do believe I'll be heading off. It was a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Halsey. And may we see each-other again in good health."

"Likewise. Best of luck to you, Doctor." Halsey shook his hand once more. To that, he walked off toward the local Saloon and disappeared...

"... Peculiar character..." Cortana stated from beside Halsey.

"Tell me about it." The woman said "Come along, Spartans. We've quite the hike to take on." before walking toward the stairs. The climb had been arduous and slow, but even as they moved up to the point they could see the entire village, the Spartans felt little of the burn... Halsey, meanwhile? She was sweating rivers at this point. Panting as she stopped, she found herself leaning against the stone wall. Thankfully, the path was wide enough and carved out deep enough that she didn't have to worry about falling... She took out her bottle of water, took a sip, then continued the climb.

"Man..." Jack panted as they tried to keep pace with the Spartans. "These guys and gals mean business."

"They're elite supersoldiers, Jack." Penny smiled, continuing the climb without as much as a shallow breath. "They're bound to be physically fit. Just look at John and you can tell that is the case."

Evelyn, already out of breath and sweating like a pig, said "Yeah... Tell us about it, Penny..."

... And finally, having reached the top of the mountain, the Doctor and other humans could take a moment to rest and catch their breaths. Seating themselves down by the entrance to a rather large cave and feeling the breeze, Jack, Penny and Evelyn looked outward... And saw the beauty of the mountains of Vale, this time live from the scene, rather than from some picture or video...

"Wow..." Evelyn grinned, watching as the setting sun cast a dim orange light over the valleys and the village below.

"It's beautiful." Jack said. "I almost forgot how nice Vale and its territories are..."

"Been on that trip of yours for a while now, eh?" Evelyn turned toward the de-facto team leader, grinning. She took out her water bottle and took a couple of chugs from it, before exhaling and extending it to Jack. Jack took it, smiling, then she too chugged down almost half of the remaining contents. She extended it to Penny, who shook her head with a smile and refused the bottle.

"Yeah, well... Vacuo ain't exactly the nicest place to be in. Too much desert, too little civilization and greenery..." The blonde, blue-eyed badass spoke softly. "Vale? Vale's... Well, 's home."

"Yup. Wouldn't trade it for the world." Evelyn said. "Now, c'mon. Otherwise, I think Johnny and his team are gonna leave us behind." And she stood up. Jack and Penny followed suit. Bags on their backs and flashlights out, the fireteam entered the cavern, with John, Halsey and Cortana at the front... John's helmet lights automatically flashed on. His eyes open, hands on his weapon and finger twitching near the trigger, the Spartan scanned the surrounding walls, sometimes interlocking his light with another from a Spartan's rifle or helmet, or Halsey's flashlight.

"So what we're looking for is underground?" Evelyn whispered to Cortana.

"Yep..." Cortana hummed back... Then looked ahead "... Unknown alloy detected ahead. It ain't stone, Doctor... Density matches Forerunner metal."

"Hmm. Eyes open, Spartans." Halsey ordered. "John, with me. I'll need your helmet lights." and without question, John took behind Halsey, rifle at the ready in case of anything. Strolling deeper into the darkness, past stalactites and stalagmites, the group finally came upon a wall that didn't belong... A structure of metal so smooth it almost seemed unfathomable. Small creases flashed a terse blue light every so often... Intensifying in speed...

"... This is Forerunner technology, alright..." Halsey noted, running a hand over the smoothed, alien metal...

"Jeez... Look at the size of it..." Evelyn looked around at the cave, its ceiling and the strange wall going higher and higher until nothing but darkness was visible... Halsey's hand had touched something. A small bit of the metal disappeared, seemingly vanishing. And a blue, holographic orb appeared, shining light into the cavern, with Forerunner symbols caught in hexagonal shapes...

"John..." Halsey said, turning off her light. "Cortana had told me about the Librarian's Cypher and about the Composer while we were talking... On board the ship..." She turned to him, his armor shimmering within the faint blue light... She seemed calm, serious "I need you to open this. If it's what Cortana thinks it is and it is linked to the Composer and Librarian, then I dread to think what it'd do to anyone who doesn't have it..."

"All precautions, Doctor." John nodded, taking a step forward toward the orb. "She assured me it'd allow us to enter any facility of hers, so..." He looked to the others and ordered "Everyone, stay behind me." before placing a palm on the orb... it was made of hardlight that reacted to his touch... The orb flashed blue once... Twice... And the third time. John let his hand off of it, then looked to his left. The wall began to break apart, multiple creases hissing with steam. And finally, a wedge-shaped slab of the material slid down, big enough for one Spartan at a time to fit...

He looked back, gave a hand signal and showed everyone to follow, before stepping inside, rifle raised... And finding himself inside a cavernous, almost cathedral-sized hall with Forerunner technology and data streaming through the walls... Small holographic displays flickered to life around them and several windows appeared, made of the translucent glass of Forerunner alloy and leading into the many antechambers of the place...

"Holy shit..." Jack murmured, eyes wide as she looked around at the awe-inspiring marvel of engineering around her.

"... And I thought the door being a slab that perfectly fit the metal 'round it was impressive..." Evelyn's voice was shaky. Halsey swallowed empty, feeling her heart stuck in her throat as she gazed around at the place. The holographic displays were consoles. She looked to John, then showed him to follow... And the Spartan moved with her again as the others filed out inside, forming a perimeter and securing each ante-chamber's window... Well, as many as they could get to... The hall went on forever, its arches ascending deep into the darkness of the mountain above.

"... The alloys here are of a density and strength as of yet unknown to anyone on Remnant..." Penny observed in whisper, kneeling and running her hand across one of the walls on which blue symbols danced harmlessly. She looked toward Halsey, John and Cortana, then walked to join them... And caught them just as the Spartan placed a hand over one of the consoles, allowing direct contact with it. Cortana stepped up beside Halsey as her translator, beginning to type in a few commands...

"..." Cortana's eyes went a tad wide "Doctor?"

"Yes?" Halsey asked, feeling another lump in her throat, stomach in a knot and her legs weak...

"... This station... It's been cataloging human DNA strands across..." She wrote in a few more lines as her voice trembled... A new experience, but one to ignore for now as she spoke "... Across approximately 150 millennia..." And Halsey audibly gasped, taking to Cortana's side immediately. John too looked surprised... As did everyone else around them.

"... What does that mean...?" John asked, worried, as he looked at the data streaming across a holographic screen.

"This is data from several thousand artifacts, John... Spread evenly out across every world that is controlled by humanity... Far as I can tell, we're still in the Milky Way, but..." She felt her throat dry up... "This entire station is not only meant to reverse the Composer's effects on human and Forerunner alike... It's been storing data, mixing and matching... Experimenting... Its AI, whatever it is, has been working continuously for the past 150 thousand years, hard and without stop... It's been modifying, rearranging, working, touching up, toning down and editing strands of DNA that belonged to _every_ human that ever lived..."

"..." Halsey's hand trembled as she took her glasses off, looking onto every strand of data herself "Cortana... What you're telling me is... Here, we have a genetic library of humanity?"

"... Yes, Doctor... And if I look hard enough, I'm sure I can find your own data within i... Wait..." She typed in a few more commands... And her mouth went agape. "... This thing is more than just a Decomp station. It's more than just a Gene Library... Doctor, I think this is... I'm gonna assume a system for both keeping stock and for... Well, Doctor... What do you think happened to us?"

"... Cortana...?" Halsey was worried now... As was everyone else.

"Doctor, I'm afraid I have to tell you this... This station has begun malfunctioning as of late... This is the Librarian's attempt at allowing Humanity to be reborn after the Halos were fired in the original Forerunner-Flood War." She whispered to Halsey, who nearly choked... Cortana continued explaining "The machines and vats here were meant to allow humanity to rise again out of the ashes and rebuild civilization on their planet. It has our genetic data, it has anything and everything we need to allow ourselves to live... Basically forever... But it's malfunctioned in two ways..."

"Those are?" Halsey asked, more stern and curious, but also severely concerned...

"One... It's been... 'Respawning' the Spartans we've lost, for lack of a better term, due to it believing their deaths were caused by the Halo Rings. Some had incomplete genetic templates, Cal as an example, due to some of the Forerunner tech being unable to scan or interact with them properly before their untimely demises. So the system completed the strands with what seemed to match best... In Cal's case, stored data on Faunus populace around. That also meant that some of the genetic imperfections it saw with the base Human template, in this case Spartan template, were removed... That's why the Thyroid gland implants are failing."

... This was too much...

"What about the second Glitch?" Halsey asked...

"It gave _us,_ those who still lived, a 'hard reset'... Aside from our memories, Doctor, we were transferred here, but saved with our genetic templates from way before... That's what the de-aging process is... We haven't lost any of our memories, yet our bodies, or in my case, the AI Matrix based on your brain, were modified as not to delete anything important, but to allow for cells to rejuvenate to the point we all lost our proper ages." Cortana explained, looking at the computer. "I don't know why it didn't keep current data for me, you and John, since we've interacted with Forerunner tech prior to this... Quite a few times... And yet we still dropped in age. The Slipstream Teleports, it says here, were due to what I can only translate as 'Hardware Failure', of several Rejuvenation Pods."

Halsey looked at the Computer too, then asked "Do you think the AI here has any explanations for why it'd do this to us?" as her heart began to sound like a machinegun...

"I can try pinging and asking it, but its matrices are so far-gone, I can't guarantee an answer... That and it seems to have completely incapacitated the Rejuvenation Station itself by draining its entire power to have us deployed here." Cortana sighed... She rubbed her chin, then looked to John... She wasn't really complaining about the whole situation, but this just proved the Forerunners were on a whole 'nother level, technologically.

"... I caught everything. As did the others." He said, looking at the console too "... I'm not sure how to feel about this..."

"It's weird." Cortana quipped. "But hey... I guess we can take advantage of this?" And she shrugged... Halsey took a moment to contemplate what Cortana had just said... She wasn't wrong. It was like giving the kids a new chance at living their teenage lives, at least. And with the Thyroid Hormone Suppressor out of the action... She shook her head, blushing, then sighed...

And as a door opened, the Spartans swiveled about...

... "... Oops." Cal said, retracting her hand and backing away from a door she'd just opened, before shining the light of her AR inside... And gasping... She beckoned Chief and the others to follow. The group moved inside, taking a wedge formation and staggering their approach, rifles raised and scanning the walls... This was a storage room for Rejuvenation Pods, it seemed... Inside each pod, a flurry of blue swirled and flickered as Slipstream worked with the templates they had...

... In one pod made of glass, with a swirling Slipstream tornado inside, the Spartans found a human...

She was beautiful, ginger-haired and blue-eyed. She wore a uniform of green and brown, a sword and had a string of medals on her chest... And just as fast as she'd appeared, she vanished... Linda ran to the pod, placed a hand on it, then felt a powerful electrical surge send her away. Grunting as she fell, she was caught by Daisy and Fred, both of which looked on in awe...

"... Aaand now there's a third glitch... It's trying to reassemble multiple strands of DNA... Dead people from across Earth's millennia... It's gonna overload its backup capacitors..." Cortana said. "That girl in the pod... Despite her uniform, my records identified her as Duchess Anastasia Romanov, Princess and one of he heirs apparent to the throne of the Tsarist Empire. She died 600 years ago... Among the pods I just spotted flashing out were people of ancient times... I can name so many of them..." She said, horrified... Too much data... Too much weird... Too much of... This.

"Jesus... This place is seriously starting to freak me the fuck out..." Jack murmured angrily, gritting her teeth... "Cortana, what does this mean for Remnant?"

"... A lot..." Cortana said... "... Aaand..."

The pods' insides died... Leaving only empty metal and glass in neatly arranged rows like the shelves of a supermarket... "... That's the last of the station's Slipspace Capacitors disabled..." And everything went quiet... "Doctor..." Cortana said. "May I recommend we head for the village and try and rest a bit?" and she felt the uneasy Spartans around her "Otherwise... I think we may all just lose it..."

"... Mhm..." Halsey hummed... They definitely needed a rest after being hit with this much information at once...


	26. Above and Beyond

**_... Back at Beacon..._**

Ruby milled about in Doctor Halsey's now-unoccupied lab, checking certain items and such and making sure the blueprints for the gun mods were in order. Doctor Halsey was quite thorough about making sure every modification was possible while damaging as little of the external look of UNSC/SWORD Weapons as they could and without adding extra weight. Save for the SRS-99/99 model Sniper Rifles utilized by the UNSC, which needed the coils to be shielded around the barrel, thus giving off a larger, rounded muzzle and some slight weight addition, the weapons seemed normal otherwise...

Well, Doctor Halsey also gave then Picatinny rails for attachments...

The MA5 rifle series, Sergeant Johnson's shotgun and the pistols were apparently easy for both the Doctor and little miss Rose to modify... Ruby smiled as the thought just hit her:She was helping the Doctor with important modifications and manufacturing for the Spartans and Marines to always be combat-ready. And now that SWORD was declared an active entity, she was basically helping a Peacekeeping force keep the peace!

Awesome!

As she strolled back to the dorm, she met a few patrolling Marines in full BDUs, most of which waved to her, smiling. They were carrying MA5s and BR55 rifles, or the standard-issue Battle Rifle of the UNSC, from what she'd heard... She'd been asking around and looking over Doc's expansive files on UNSC's weaponry. And she was awed to find out the UNSC already had _directed energy weapons!_ The Spartan Laser, as it was colloquially nicknamed in every file and by Marines when asked about it.

Beacon FOB had begun to exponentially grow... Enough so that Ruby could see a pair of watchtowers not too far away from the main dorm buildings. Strolling inside one of aforementioned buildings, she watched as Marines were training from one of the balconies... They practiced marching, while others seemed to practice on plywood buildings and other such structures by stacking up beside the doors... A squad of 3 Marines took up a line, with one in the front, called the Breacher, readying up a strange grenade... A Marine kicked the door open, while the Breacher tossed the Grenade inside... It flashed and the Marines marched inside, hard and fast, thus vanishing from view... So cool!

She felt a hand on her shoulder, then cocked her head back with a gasp, to see Weiss and Yang appearing, the latter with a smile on her face and donning a more casual outfit. Leaning onto the railing, Yang said "These guys are entirely something else. I mean, Johnny and his teams of Supersoldiers are very badass and all, but the Marines? Look at'em go." And she nodded to the FOB's courtyard. The soldiers moved in formation, rifles close. Some helped in the maintenance of their transport, the Pelican.

Some Spartans watched the Marines train from afar, while a circle of Marines in PT gear watched as a duo fought. A boxing ring, for a lack of a better term. It was incredible, what they'd managed to do in the past month alone. Weiss hummed, then said "Considering the few rumors I've heard around the teachers' room relating to them, the Spartans respect the Marines and hold them in high regard. Their war, though little of it is known, really hardened them."

"I mean... Yeah. Whatever warrants guys like John and his team going into action definitely has to harden basic humans." Ruby noted, watching as NOBLE Team trained too, but in Knife combat. The Spartans moved so fast that the girls' eyes could barely keep up. The movements were sharp, quick, precise and deadly. Every strike would've been a bloody, brutal one, a jugular strike, a stab to the femur, a stab in the eye...

"Spartans are Special Forces, Ruby." Weiss stated as if it was fact. And she wasn't wrong. "The Marines are the soldiers on the ground... When a Spartan gets deployed, it probably means the worst has come to pass and the Marines need a quick out. Or to hold out for as long as possible... We don't know what they've fought and I don't _think_ we have any sort of desire to know what caused them to train up so much, or what got the UNSC to employ them with those kinds of armors."

"... Jeez, Weiss, since when did ya get so serious about them?" Yang's brow quirked up.

"I'm just stating facts, Yang." Weiss said. "They're soldiers who've probably gone through hell. And, dare I say it, perhaps they went through even worse than the Great War..." Making the blonde snort. Weiss turned to her, to see her chuckling, before asking "Yang, what's so funny to you? If they come from outer space, it could well be the case..."

"I'm sorry, Weiss... It's just..." She chuckled "Ya really think these guys went through anything worse than Grimm in the midst of _Trench Warfare_? C'mon, be serious."

"Try a planet-level extinction event." An accented voice said... Turning back with gasps, team RWBY were greeted by a sky-blue set of armor and a prosthetic arm holding the helmet that completed the set... The tanned face of the young woman before them was scarred, but her light-blue eyes seemed calm. She walked up beside them, then said "Well, multiple planet-level extinction events of the same type. On multiple planets... All done by alien hand."

"What?" Weiss's heart stopped...

"Yep." The woman said, leaning against the railing "Kids, we've been fighting for... Almost 30 or so years now against this thing called the Covenant. As far as I know, we've won... But the war cost us a lot. If you want to know how much, ask the Headmaster." She said, looking out at the training Marines. "Though I'd hold onto my teeth... It's quite a lot of stuff to take in."

The Marines piled out of the makeshift plywood building seconds later, hauling a Marine in cuffs... The woman grinned upon seeing this, then said "Ah, Force Recon." as she watched them move out to a designated exfiltration point. Noticing Yang raised a brow, the Spartan said "FORCE RECON is the UNSC Marine Special Operations Squad... Somewhat more trained than your average Marine, they specialize in Close Quarters Shipboard combat, Zero-G Operations, reconnaissance and... Well, going in first side-by-side with the Spartans."

"FORCE RECON REPRESENT!" A Marine who overheard the chat called out, raising a fist to greet the Spartan.

"Semper Fi!" She nodded to them, raising her metallic arm. "Man, the Marines' hearing is good."

"... Uhm, miss, not to be rude, but whom would you be?" Weiss asked politely, crossing her arms. The Spartan turned toward her, then smiled and said "No offense taken. I'm Lieutenant-Commander Catherine. Noble Two... I don't think we've officially met, but the Master Chief did mention you girls. Team RWBY, correct?" and she received the three present members' nods.

"Do people call you Kat?" Yang asked, raising a brow.

"Yup." Kat gave a nod. "You're Yang Xiao-Long." And she looked around "Red one in the hood is Ruby Rose and Snow White is... Well, quite literally Weiss Schnee. I'm going to guess the black-haired girl with Warrant Officer Samuel is Blake Belladonna." And, noticing the scared gazes and raised brows, the woman noted "The Chief spoke of all of you and I had your files pulled from Beacon's database." She looked back at them, leaning against the railing herself as she saw then scooting away... She chuckled "I know. I'm good."

"... Are you by any chance your team's hacking specialist?" Ruby asked, a bit curious. "Doc Halsey mentioned you while we were working on modifications for the weapons currently in your arsenal..." And then she muttered, casting a sideways glance "Through her continuous mumbles about all Spartans and such... Never needed to know what the newest member, Fred, did in his spare time..."

Kat chuckled "Yeah, well, you know, the Doctor does talk a lot."

"... You heard that?" Ruby mumbled, blushing, as her eyes went wide "Please don't tell the doctor..."

"I won't." Kat waved it off. Cutesy kid...

"HEY, KAT! We gotta move! Carter wants us groundside in Vale for a supply run!" The girls heard another voice with an accent and turned about, to see a man clad in heavy armor with a strange carving in his helmet's visor. The woman rolled her eyes, then nodded to the girls and stepped off, putting on her helmet. She looked back, then said to them "We'll see each-other around, team RWBY." and the girls a chill creep up their backs as the woman stepped off.

"Okay... Note to self:Avoid Kat at all costs." Yang muttered, then felt herself get elbowed in the shoulder by Weiss. Shrugging, the blonde looked to Ruby and said "Let's go back to the dorms... I'm sure Jaune and the others are wondering what the heck's going on." before noticing a Bullhead flying overhead coming in to land with supplies at the base. Construction supplies, it seemed... Ruby nodded to Yang as they stepped off.

Walking into their dorm room, they saw team JNPR about to pop out... Nora smiled as she rushed up to them and saying "Did you guys see that military base growing outside Beacon?"

"Yeah, Nora, it's kind of hard to miss." Weiss noted in a deadpan.

"Those guys are friends to John, right?" Jaune asked.

"Subordinates, actually." Yang smirked, seeing team JNPR's surprised gazes. "Yep, John's kind of a commander to this bunch. Well, there's people of higher ranks than him, but that's not the point... Apparently, from what I've been asking around, John's a hero to them." And she watched as Nora had stars shining in her eyes, Jaune seemed a bit dumbstruck, Pyrrha tapped her chin and Ren seemed to smile at his teammates' grins.

"Y'all wanna go meet some Marines?" Yang offered. "Far as I know, we are allowed on-base."

"... Really?" Jaune raised a brow.

"Yep." The girl nodded, grinning. "Girls?" She looked to Weiss and Ruby... The latter seemed to agree... The former? She was worried. Yang walked up to Weiss, the little scaredy cat, then said "C'mon, Weiss. Gonna be fun asking them stuff. Plus, they seem to be happy enough to answer." and saw her raise her blue eyes to meet her lilac ones... She shrugged.

"No harm, I guess." Weiss stated...

As they walked out into the encampment, to the sight of Marines... Something was wrong... What was moments ago a courtyard filled with Marines in PT Gear and no armors, save for those practicing Breach And Clear operations, had now turned into a staging ground for a Platoon of around 20 Marines, with Johnson at the forefront, loading up slugs into his Shotgun. All of them were clad in full BDUs with full plating. The Pelican's engines were spooled and ready for takeoff and the Bullhead that had arrived with supplies was now loaded with medical aid and such... An alarm blared inside the base and the team saw Spartans aligned outside, but not moving...

The African-American SgtMaj, a Cigar in his mouth, spoke to miss Goodwitch and to a man in blue Spartan armor... Approaching him with the others, Yang asked "What the heck's going on?"

Johnson cocked his head to her, taking a puff of his cigar, before taking it from between his lips and saying "We got a village under attack not too far from here. They managed to ping a distress signal and bounce it back to the CCTS... We're going in." calmly. The man looked over to his Platoon and said "GET TACTICAL, MARINES!" before 20 guns were locked and cocked.

Yang looked on, surprised, then turned to Johnson and said "We wanna come with." sternly.

"Yeah!" Nora said, stepping up. "If it's Grimm, you guys'll need backup from Huntsmen."

Johnson looked to the girls, then turned to Goodwitch. The woman gave a nod, then said a quick "Bring them back safely... And the Spartan gave Johnson a nod too. The man spoke calmly "Give us a ping if you need backup, Sergeant-Major. We'll fly in ASAP." to which Johnson gave a thumbs up. He looked over to the girls, then pointed to the Pelican and said "Be aboard in 5. Pick up your gear and haul ass."

Blake too had joined team RWBY, wearing her combat gear. Boarding the Pelican, the eight Hunters-in-Training packed in tightly with the Marines, before Jaune looked to Johnson and asked "Uhh... Sergeant, was it?" and received a raised brow... Jaune continued, feeling a chill shoot up his spine at the Afro-American's stare boring into his soul "... Why only Marines, sir?"

"... Well, Blondie, you just answered your own damn question." Johnson gave a grin with the whitest teeth anyone had ever seen. "We're Marines. Meanest sons-of-bitches probably alive on your planet, aside from Chief, Doc Halsey and the Spartans. Nothing screws with us and makes it out without winding up full of lead." He stated simply, before turning to the Hold of the ship and yelling "Am I right, Marines!?"

"Hoorah!" They cheered, grins on their faces as they readied their weapons... The vehicle flew out from the base, followed by the Bullhead transporting the relief supplies.

"Well, they seem cheery." Nora said, smiling, Magnhild sitting beside her cozily locked into a point. The Marines aboard scanned the outside, rifles drawn and one of them was manning what looked like a machine Gun with a drum magazine that extended forward. They racked the bolt of the gun... And Pyrrha looked on, surprised at the sight of the soldiers readying up to assist a village in need...

"The airship we're in is pretty big." Blake said. "I think Sam called it a Pelican dropship."

"It's meant to transport troops across Air and Space, so yeah, it's bound to be big." Ruby said excitedly, looking about and jumping in her seat... "Gah, I'd love to go to space once in this thing!"

"Some time soon, girly!" One of the Marines quipped. And Ruby joyfully squeaked. As they felt the aircraft decelerate, the team readied up weapons. Yang extended Ember Celica, Ruby activated Crescent Rose's rifle mode, Gambol Shroud extended and Blake readied both blades and Weiss armed the Dust chambers in Myrtenaster. They watched as the village's outskirts appeared below... Burning, blackened buildings, Grimm marching down the streets...

The Gunship touched down and the Marines piled out, rifles up and engaging the first Grimm they saw. One of the Marines took a knee and swept the area ahead with his Assault Rifle. Multiple smaller Grimm fell from the Armor-Piercing staccato of rounds. Corpses fell to the ground as several more Marines joined up, forming what amounted to a wall of guns.

Ruby dashed forward beside the Marines and shouldered her rifle, before firing. The round burst the skull of a Grimm wide open. Then another. And another... But more just kept coming, to be cut down by the suppressing fire of the UNSC firearms and now, Weiss, with Myrtenaster's ranged Ice attacks. The Marines had formed up in the square with half the Platoon keeping the Grimm at bay with Ruby and Weiss, while the other went on a hunt with the other Huntsmen to find wounded...

It wasn't long before they did...

And Yang took a moment, eyes wide...

Civilians lay, hiding together in the Town Hall... It was a makeshift survivors' camp and hospital, filled with refugees hoping to escape an onslaught of Grimm, or morelike waiting for their common grave to be dug. Men, women and children looked, surprised, as Marines marched inside, rifles lowered and Yang felt a pit in her stomach as she saw some of the wounded...

"My God..." Pyrrha covered her mouth at the bodies covered by tarps in the far back...

"Marines!" Johnson raised a hand "Get to triage! Medical emergencies first, women and children next and the others for last! Everyone who isn't busy with triage, with me! We're asking about what the hell happened!" And he looked to Blake and Yang "That means the Huntsmen, Goldilocks! C'mon!" and marched inside... Finding the nearest man, one of the most wounded, Sarge knelt beside him... He was a dying one, pale as bone... Johnson took out his canteen and gave the man a sip of water, before receiving a faint 'thank you' from him...

"Who did this?" Johnson asked the man, noticing some of the wounds were bullet wounds, rather than claws or cuts. Yang and Blake approached, while team JNPR went on to tend to other wounded... The one word Johnson could make up out of what the man whispered was 'Bandits'... And he backed off, a solemn look on his face as the man before him... Finally passed. He placed his hand over his eyes and closed them, before standing up and tapping his com... "Delta-2-2, watch out. We may have humans around. Bandits, apparently."

" _Roger that. We'll keep an eye out boss. The Grimm seem to be thinnin' out on the main boulevard."_ The voice came over the radio... Johnson looked to Yang and Blake, then waved them with him, as well as two Marines... Jaune and Pyrrha watched them leave out the door whilst tending to those wounded, among which were probably half the villagers and the Militia they rallied to help defend... Too few towns had huntsmen nowadays.

As they walked out, Johnson looked to Yang and Blake and said "You, me and two of my Marines are gonna go and find any signs of Bandits around town." before he marched them out into the village... Yang and Blake looked to each-other, then nodded. As they marched deeper into the ruined town, keeping their eyes peeled, the girls and Marines could see corpses laying on the floor... Gunshot wounds. Militia and people clad in raggedy clothes with makeshift guns, spears and swords... Bandits ahoy. And Johnson picked up a black feather from the floor

Grimm began advancing the deeper into the village they went. Yang and Blake fought close together with the Marines and stacked more kills than the ones with Rifles, though Johnson was tied with them. As they heard gunfire and screams from the town's east side... The Marines and girls took cover behind a building and Johnson peeked over... He swore as his cigar was shot from his mouth. He swore, then backed off into cover... Several Militiamen fell, gunned down, in front of them... And the Marine gritted his teeth. Yang and Blake looked over to him, then the blonde suggested "We can draw fire while you move in and deal with the bastards..."

"No, too risky." Johnson said. "Shitty equipment, but they've got aim..." He muttered, then yelled "We ain't dealing with some run-of-the-mill bandits here, are we!?"

The response was quick... And Yang felt a chill shoot up her spine as she heard a female voice speak coldly "I'm afraid you aren't."

Johnson peeked from behind cover, noticing a woman clad in Red samurai armor with a mane of black hair and feathers. She had a Grimm mask resembling that of a bird and her eyes shined scarlet... She also had a giant sword with a red blade, probably dust-infused considering the Sheath seemed to have a revolving chamber similar to that of White's rapier... Damn... And around her were goons clad in mix-and-match torn clothes and wielded makeshift rifles.

"Ah-ah-ah~." The woman sang... And Yang's eyes were threatening to leave their sockets... Just as a bullet whizzed by Johnson's head, forcing him back into cover... The Marine swore as the woman spoke "Not nice to peek... Don't worry, boys, we'll just be taking our leave." just as a whoosh came about and a gust of wind hit the plaza... The Marine Sergeant heard the woman turn about... And took his time.

"Go!" He yelled to his Marines, taking a knee and aiming his shotgun, which was now loaded with Slugs, before firing at the first goon in his sights. Six Goons fell in the volley and the woman herself was hit in the back by a burst... She gritted her teeth and ordered her men to return fire, feeling as her arm was punctured by a bullet. Johnson pumped the shotgun's pump and fired again, toward her... But she cut the slug in two midair... And the Marine Sergeant lowered the weapon, eyes wide... The woman growled...

"Sorry to make this date short. We'll see each-other again, Soldier Boy." The woman spoke snarkly "But I've got something to attend to back at home..."

And... With that... She vanished through the portal...

"Motherf-..." Johnson caught himself... He looked back, to see Yang with bulging eyes, then asked "Are you okay, Blondie?" Before moving to her. "Got hit?"

"No... N-No, I'm fine..." She shook hear head... That was... No... "I'm fine..."

"She's probably just surprised Bandits are around, sir." Blake stated, placing a hand on her Partner's shoulder... Yang looked back and received the slightest of nods from Blake... Johnson took a moment to see through the facade... He shook his head, put another cigar in his mouth, lit it and said "Let's move along, kids. We've still got supplies to distribute..." helping Yang and Blake up...

... Marine troops had swept the last Grimm away by nightfall and were now distributing relief aid from the Bullhead to the people in need. One of them had gotten clawed across the chest, but he was doing fine. Team JNPR, meanwhile, had joined in the defense as well, with Jaune scoring about 3 kills... While Pyrrha scored 15, Ren around 10 and Nora around 20 with Magnhild alone... Some of the Marines were already giving the girl nicknames.

Yang and Blake joined Ruby, Weiss and team JNPR around a campfire with a few Marines who were storytelling... One of the Marines spoke happily, his helmet in his lap and his water bottle in hand "... And then, Thor over here decides to hammer a Grimm Wolf's skull in _by jumping on it fifty fuckin' times_! I swear, I don't wanna be on her bad side!"

"You got that right!" Nora smirked, striking the Rosie the Riveter pose to show her muscle... Yang chuckled, then sat herself down by the fire and Nora looked to them and asked "So, Yang! I heard you girls and the Sergeant encountered some Bandits over on the east side of town! What's up with that?" before she sat herself down... Yang took a moment and pursed her lips...

Seeing her partner surprisingly out of it, Blake stepped in and spoke "They were surprisingly good shots, but they ran away before we even got a chance to ask who they are. Anyways, enough about them..." She looked over to some of the villagers being tended to by a Marine medic in a makeshift medical tent. Among them, many were children... Jaune looked to Blake...

"... The place had quite the big orphanage. Wasn't that good a town to live in and a lot of parents abandoned their kids here." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck "Not sure how many alone were children in here."

"Does the place have a name?" Yang asked, somewhat melancholic... Despite never having been in one of those places... Thank the Gods for that...

"Not that we could find, really." Shrugged Pyrrha, dusting off one of her greaves. "It's horrifying, though... Thank Goodness they managed to send the SOS Signal... I dread what would've happened to the poor children." And she looked over to Ren, who seemed to be stuck in his usual meditation. Johnson appeared before anyone had a chance to say anything else, with bowls of hot soup. He handed them to Blake, Yang, Nora and the others, before sitting himself down beside his Marines, taking his cap off and scratching his head.

"So... This place was a screw-up of epic proportions." Johnson said. "Many of the adults were staff for the orphanage. Others were parents who couldn't house their kids and had to send them to live there... And the others? Apparently, criminals released from jail, now serving as Miltia for this little colony." with a grin. He looked to one of his comrades and said "Sound familiar to you, Dubbo?"

"Sod off, Sarge." The Aussie Marine murmured in his thick accent, garnering hearty laughs out of everyone around, Yang included. She was still moody, but less so. And Blake would have to ask about it when they got home... Johnson, meanwhile, took a puff out of his cigar, then looked to Ruby and said "You ain't half bad yourself, Rose. From what my men told me, you engaged Grimm in pretty close quarters with that Scythe Sniper of yours."

"Oh, uhm, thanks, I think..." Ruby said, a hint confused.

"No problem... Keep up the good work, all of you. You're in Beacon, might as well keep kicking ass. And while you're kicking ass, you are doing so with the best of'em..." He said honestly to the girls and boys, getting smiles from them... He looked to his troopers and beckoned "Am I right, Marines!?"

"Hoo'Rah!" They responded happily.

And he looked to the Huntresses and Huntsmen, before asking "Am I right, Hunters?!"

"Hoorah!" They all answered, out of synch, some weaker than others... But that'd be good enough for now. Johnson chuckled, then stood up and said "Prep to leave. Foe Hammer wants us airborne in 30. Enjoy your soups since they're a gift from the kids around and let's prep to get home. Dismissed!" jovially. He walked off with that, taking a puff from his cigar... The kids weren't that bad... Just needed training.


	27. Hold The Line

**_Hermitage._**

Chief was seated at the landing pad, on the edge, to be exact. His helmet off his head, the Spartan regarded the living, breathing town as it went about its daily business, people smiling, chatting and interacting. Doctor Halsey had stayed with Cortana to further research the Forerunner structure themselves, under watch of a contingent of Marines. His Mark VI Helmet sat to his side.

He breathed in deeply, feeling a scent not of blood or metal, but rather fresh air. The sun rose lazily over the mountains. It was incredible to look at... A world in relative peace. Leaning back, the Spartan gazed out. He heard a set of footsteps behind him, then turned about, to see Cortana, smiling, as she held two cans of soda. "Hey. Seat beside you taken?" She asked. John shook his head...

Cortana walked up beside him, took a seat and handed him the can, before saying "This world is really something..."

"Mhm..." The Spartan hummed, opening up the can of soda. She looked out toward the sun and leaned back.

"John... You alright?" She felt the need to ask... She could sense he was off it after the news. He nodded... "No, you aren't." She stated, straightening up and placing a hand on his shoulder "I know what this is about... And trust me, you aren't the only one who's off." and she scooted a bit closer to him... She felt his heart and saw it a hint over its usual BPM...

"Am I that easy to read now?" He asked calmly and received a nod from the girl.

"John, it's not that you're easy to read. I've been with you for long enough to know what you're thinking..." Cortana snorted "Plus, this body has some highly-advanced sensors, so figuring out your heart's gone over its usual BPM quota isn't that hard." She quipped... John looked to her and she couldn't tell, for the first time, what he was about to say. Locking gazes, the two stood there for a moment, just basking in each-other's presence... Before they turned away awkwardly...

"... Cortana. The station is... I don't know what to think of it. Just like I'm sure many of us can't say what they feel." He noted, before taking a sip from his can. "It's... The Forerunners. The Librarian. They've been cataloging us from the inception of Humanity to today. They have _every_ human that ever lived in there... And now some of the things she said are coming back to me... We weren't the first humans, Cortana."

"... I remember that, somehow." The girl said, looking out toward the villagers, watching as they did their usual stuff without so much as caring for the UNSC Presence around. "Humanity was running when you... Well... Your ancient, _an_ _cient_ ancestors fought the Forerunners. Running from the flood... Can you imagine that? You guys fought for survival even before coming here." She noted.

"... I was somehow planned, apparently." The man spoke. Cortana's brow quirked up. He looked to her, then continued, a solemn look on his face "The Librarian mentioned how... When she 'indexed' us for repopulation... Meaning she used this station, I imagine... That she hid seeds. That somehow would coalesce within tens, if not hundreds of thousands of years. Coalesce to form me. I was the result of generations of planning. You... _Us._ The Spartans as a whole."

"... Jesus..." Cortana murmured, staring outward.

Chief snorted.

"What's got ya laughing?" The AI turned to him, smiling now.

"I thought you weren't religious, Cortana... Seriously, what's gotten into you since we wound up on Remnant?" The Chief noted, giving a half-smile too... Oh, God, something _was_ getting to him... "I think I've been around Beacon students too much..." He hummed. Cortana covered her mouth as she tried to stifle her laugh... And failed, bursting into a long, hearty laugh at his words.

"Look at you!" Cortana spoke through the cackling. "Self-Aware over the fact you're smiling and all that!"

"And let's not forget, also more talkative." An older voice spoke... The Spartan and AI swiveled about, to see Doctor Halsey behind them, arms crossed and... Bearing a faint as all hell smile. Walking up to them and taking a seat to John's right, the good Doctor continued "It's good to see you two unwinding. Though I'm still... Not over the fact you have somehow acquired a gynoid body, Cortana... Do take care of it, yes?"

Cortana huffed "Yes, _mooom."_ making Halsey purse her lips and squint at her over the rim of her glasses... And that actually scrambled the AI's fear node a bit "Sorry! Sorry! Doc, please stop staring at me like that..." and she hid behind the armored Spartan... A tad cowardly, but Halsey guessed that was what it meant to have a physical body. She gave Cortana emotion subfunctions and such, but they just seemed to come out more often than usual with the new body.

Arranging her glasses on the bridge of her nose, the Doctor looked to the village and whispered in a calmer, warmer voice "... It is a very beautiful place, as miss Ivory said."

"Anything new with the station, Doctor?" John asked.

Doc shook her head "I'm afraid that, without power to its current computer grid, that is all we will find out... Cortana, do you reckon the AI in the station was smart enough to overload the capacitors as to keep us away from its data?"

"... Probably? What little data I could gather about it said it's a highly-advanced Ancilla designed specifically by the Librarian for its job. Meaning it's been here for a good few millennia. As many as the station has been recording Human DNA strands, we can assume." She observed, looking up toward the mountain where the station was. "How high are the chances it's reached past its rampancy stage?"

"... Pretty high, if the Ancilla have the concept of Rampancy." Halsey noted. "John..." She looked to him, noticing he'd once again fallen into his own thoughts... "Speak to us."

"Doctor... Cortana... I've been thinking... If this thing has every Human conscience... Every Human from every time period alive..." Chief began, tapping his chin "Can we... Not use it to return our dead colonists? The people we lost in the War? Everyone, I mean... If we can disable the Ancilla, we could-"

"John..." Halsey said with a more somber tone "No... No, we cannot bother the people who've died, John... Let them rest."

"Doctor?" The Chief raised a brow, somewhat shocked.

"The fact that some of us were revived as they were is a horrifying prospect already... Can you imagine how the people who died in the Outer Colonies would feel, John? Every one of them?" She stated sternly, watching as Cortana and John's expressions shifted to surprise, then to understanding, the more she explained. "I appreciate your thought process, I know you want to do good, John, but... No... The Forerunners and the Librarian have messed with the natural order of things too much already... Reviving the dead of our War would cause logistical problems, not only to EarthGov's housing agencies, but to the UNSC and to the UNSC psych wards..."

"Think of it from their perspective:You wake up on a foreign planet, knowing full well you died in a Covenant Glassing or attack... You died _afraid_ and with the mental image of an Elite charging and killing your loved ones, friends, acquaintances and you and now you're in some unknown place where Monsters made of Shadow and Bone are preying on you... No, John. No... We're _not_ the Librarian. We're _not_ the Forerunners... I'm researching this station merely to make sure I can help keep you and your fellow Spartans alive, but reviving dead civilians whose last mental picture before dying was a Covenant ship bearing down upon them, only to wake up in what they could well consider a true Hell? I'm not putting people through that, John... I've put you and the others through one Hell already."

"... Doctor..." Cortana frowned... Halsey looked toward the villagers...

"... I see your point." John said solemnly. "So, what now?"

"Now? We head for Beacon. I will come back to research this after I gather a team with Ozpin's and the Vale Council's approval and instruct them... Plus, I need to manufacture the new magnetic weapon modifications and ammunition for the entire Army Corps present in the FOB." Halsey said simply. "I'd love to get those done before my next outing and miss Rose has seemingly been quite ecstatic to help me."

"Oh, no, Doc, don't tell me..." Cortana chuckled "You got Ruby to help? Jesus, what're the guns gonna turn into now?"

Halsey raised a brow.

"... Did Ruby not tell you their weapons can shift?" Chief asked, slightly surprised. Halsey shook her head... And John stood up, before taking his rifle off his back. He pressed a button and the bludgeon began taking shape, much to Halsey's surprise. She must've missed that on the Blueprints, somehow... And she watched as John spun the Gravity Bludgeon around and said "Yeah... Remnant weapons are something else."

"I can see that..." The woman said. "... I owe miss Rose, I guess..."

"I do too." John remembered. "Maybe a bag of Cookies, since she seems to enjoy them."

"We can go into Vale after we return home." Halsey noted, standing up "Get the best we can find. You kids prepare to go... We've quite a ways to head off. I'll rally up the Pilot, Marines and other Spartans."

... John wanted to say it was good they were going home. But the blaring alarms stopped him from saying that. Sirens wailed aloud into the intercom and from the tops of buildings. Halsey gasped and looked out toward the treeline on their side of the town... The turrets tracked and opened fire. 30mm guns barked, rifles howled and roared and people ran to hide... A horde of Grimm emerged from the trees...

Marines had just emerged and Polaski manned her gunship...

"Looks like it's time for a defense..." Halsey stated, watching as, above, the Nevermores, the dark, shadowy birds of the Grimm, emerged from the clouds that had gathered above them. Polaski's bird hummed to life and the present Marines joined up with the Chief, followed by the Spartans. Linda, Cal, Daisy, Fred and Kelly took to his side, while he slid his helmet on his head and readied his rifle.

"Sir, we're waiting for orders." One of the Marines said... A platoon of 24 Marines, 6 Spartans, an AI, a Pelican Gunship and Doctor Halsey... Against a horde of nightmares. This wasn't fair for the Grimm. With quick, successive hand signals, the Chief assigned as followed:Kelly and Linda were to provide scouting and overwatch, respectively, with Linda taking the top of the mountain. The other 3 would stick with him and go out into the horde to fight. The Marines would evenly divide themselves among guarding the populace, securing the perimeter with the Militia and burning through Grimm with all the ammo they could muster. Cortana and Halsey, meanwhile, would deal with coordinating fire from aboard the bird and civilian management, respectively.

Nodding, with Halsey taking up her order of business first, the units quickly scattered and the Marines took up positions on the palisades, rifles aimed and coordinating with the Militia and wall-mounted guns... Grimm fell from volleys of rifle fire as the four Spartans Chief had left in his team, himself included, walked outside. The Spartan switched his weapon to bludgeon mode, then said as sternly and calmly as he could "Spartans. We hold the line."

"Yessir!" The others gave hearty responses... Daisy and Cal went in first, the former with what looked like an old refurbished hunting shotgun, almost resembling an M1897 Trench Gun in design, with the sword bayonet included, while the latter engaged with her MA5 and a few extra mags of ammo. Accurate and staccato rifle fire burned through the Grimm horde's smaller creatures, the Creeps and the Autocannons did well in punching holes into the medium-sized Grimm.

Chief went in _hard_ alongside Fred, bludgeoning the first Grimm Ursa he had laid his eyes upon, shattering its skull with a sickening crunch. Fred's DMR barked in unison with John's strikes and above, their bird engaged the Grimm birds, its 30mm Gatling Gun firing continuous, deafening bursts. A Nevermore was gutted by the burst of fire, toppling to the ground and landing into the crowd of other Grimm, squashing a group of them before it began to disappear.

John slammed a pair of Grimm Creeps together with his bludgeon, slamming them into the rock face of the valley to their left. He kicked one away, breaking its back, before grabbing a spike off it and throwing it into the chest of a Beowolf. An Autocannon round sheared the head clean off another that charged the Chief and Fred nailed more creatures with well-placed shots.

Kelly gave signals to the gunship while her Shotgun barked, blasting more Grimm to pieces...

And a burst of hellfire came down in the form of missiles. The explosions burst into the treeline and several dozen Grimm had fallen prey to the rounds, while Cal, Daisy and Kelly fought their damnedest to keep the enemy away on one flank and Fred and Chief held the other. Going back to back as John had switched his weapon to rifle mode, the two Spartans exchanged words... John said "Good to have you back and at 100%, Fred."

"Good to be back in action." Fred noted. "And good to have you back too, John." and he watched as a Grimm Beowolf was torn to shreds by a shot from above...

Marine marksmen's rifles barked and ARs chattered. Militia troops hollered joyfully as they too emptied magazines into the horde. Realization had come soon, however, that they weren't the only ones shooting... Cortana witnessed tracers from aboard the Pelican. She looked to where the rounds were coming from and squinted, her eyes automatically zooming-Neat feature, mr. Polendina-toward a ridgeline... She saw a squadron of around 50 soldiers, clad in UNSC BDUs of differing branches, firing their weapons...

UNSC Army Uniforms, MA37K rifles, UNSC Marine Uniforms and MA5s. BR55s, DMRs and even tripod-mounted MMGs. Some hauled SAWs, others normal weapons... And she saw one among them hauling a shotgun that fired slugs. A bald man, with a kill count of Covies on his brown BDU's chest plate. She smirked as she watched the men pouring lead down into the Grimm horde, then said "We've got friendlies on the Ridge at exactly Five O'Clock from our positions." And then she saw them... Three Spartans clad in MJOLNIR prototypes, their shields flaring... A beam of Scarlet Anger burned a swath into the Grimm...

"Roger." Chief said, noticing the soldiers above as they moved down... A group of 10 rappelled down the cliff face and formed a perimeter. Another 10 followed, with the first group's guns barking... Following them, the trio of Spartans rolled down the hill, guns roaring. The Spartan Laser hissed and crackled and Grimm got cut in half again. Following him, a young Spartan girl hauling what used to be a mounted weapon fired too, sweeping ahead. And the third's shotgun barked... He had a rocket launcher on his back.

Fred's eyes went wide as he noticed the Red Phoenix... And he spoke "Douglas, Alice, Jerome!"

"Fred, John!" Jerome said, rushing up to them. "Good to see you!"

"Where've you been?" Fred asked, stepping up to Jerome.

"Long story." He said "We got the Call from the AI, but weren't able to reach the RV point... The message is still playing on Loop, but we can't find the exact coordinates... Thank the maker we found you guys..."

Alice smirked, dropping her Gatling Gun and drawing both her SMGs, before jumping into the fight, firing the SMGs at a pair of Grimm and kicking a third down, before joining up with Cal and Daisy. "Girls." She nodded to them, making them swivel about. Daisy gave a light punch into the woman's shoulder and Cal placed a hand on her shoulder, before they turned back and engaged.

"Marines, Troopers! Get those Grenades in that thicket of Monsters!" Douglas ordered to the Mixed Platoon as they joined the troops on the ground... A fucking volley of Frag Grenades flew in staggered. And the detonations were deafening. Anything that survived the wave of grenades was soon vanquished by an echoing wave of Gunfire. Marines and Army personnel watched as the horde... or what was left of it... Dispersed, while Daisy, Cal and Alice stepped out of the combat, with the latter having her arms wrapped around her two friends.

"... That was something..." John said, before turning to Jerome and extending his hand "It's good to see you back... Did something happen to the _Spirit of Fire?_ " He asked, brow raised.

"Frankly, Chief?" Jerome shrugged "Got no idea... We just woke up here with this whole slew of Marines and Army Corps behind us, Sergeant Forge included... Only thing missing was a Scorpion or a few 'Hogs. We had a little Trek through the mountains and wound up nearby a few villages, but we chose to avoid them for safety reasons. Didn't know if it was Innies or whatever else, so..."

"You did well." Fred nodded... "But this is already getting weird."

"This is how many groups of us now...?" Chief muttered to himself. "Anyways... Tell your Marines and Army group to gather their gear. We're heading to our FOB."

The Spartans saluted "Sir!"


	28. A World Will Burn

**_A couple days later... Beacon..._**

Some time had passed since the expedition came back... And Doctor Halsey had talked to him a couple more times, having explained to the situation with the Forerunners...

Ozpin rubbed his chin, looking over files on the UNSC that he hadn't gotten to yet. Some were secret files that the good Doctor was kind enough to remove the Black Ink off of. One file in particular instilled in him a desire to read more... The Spartan-II Project, lead by none other than Catherine Halsey. After recent news about the strange Forerunner station on the planet, the Headmaster had gotten all the more curious. So, typing in the file name, it flashed on-screen... And as Ozpin began to read, he froze... Every so often he'd take a break to make sure what he read was correct... But every file, every single data slate... Every personnel record...

He closed his eyes, then took out his Scroll... The number formed directly to Doctor Halsey, then he spoke "Doctor? Could you come up here for a moment?" and, hearing a hum of agreement, he cut the line. She knew what he was calling her up for... But why give information like this to him? He knew of the station's de-aging properties and wanted to figure out what in hell it was, but for now... _This_ was more important...

As Halsey appeared from her elevator, her poker face on, Ozpin motioned to take a seat... She walked up to the front of his desk and did as asked... Rubbing his temples, he saw the Doctor noticed the file on his PC. Yet her expression only slightly changed to a frown... He sighed, then stated calmly "Doctor, explain to me... Answer this one question... _Why?_ Why do this?" before motioning to the files of the Spartans... John especially...

"... If you're asking me why I did what I did, headmaster, I can only answer one thing... The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Halsey said in such a cold tone that Ozpin actually balled his fist on the table... Trying to calm himself before he popped a vein, the man looked the doctor in the eyes. She didn't even flinch or avoid eye contact... She knew what she did... "You know what you did, yet you stand by it... What 'Greater Good' did this help, Doctor?"

"Humanity's survival. And its defeat of enemies both from within and without." She noted... Ozpin was seeing it in her eyes, she was... Not angry, but sad... Was she sad because someone found out, or because... No, someone like this couldn't be a normal human being. She was nothing short of a psychopath... Ozpin saw the Files now. Daisy, Cal, Sam and the others. ONI Directive 930... No Spartan can Die... He started to seethe...

"Doctor..." He actually felt his voice crack due to the anger... He did it... He'd finally snapped, slamming his fist into the table and yelling "You used _children_! Turned them into war machines! Stripped them of whatever lives, friendships and histories they had and threw them into the midst of a war they had no place being in!" as he gritted his teeth... This woman didn't lose her composure...

And she spoke with a calmer tune than Ozpin's... "Aside from dying, perhaps, a horrid death at the hands of creatures that outdo your Grimm and your White Fang... You're questioning what I've done, but you're doing the same via _propaganda_ , rather than direct involvement, Headmaster." She exposed, her voice somewhat venomous... "Save perhaps for miss Rose, who was directly recruited by you. Do not come talking to me about morals in the face of foes that are willing to go to extremes to wipe out all of humanity when you do the same, just with magic, propaganda and romanticizing your Huntsmen and Huntresses. Look at what happened to the people in those habitation blocks and tell me that is not the hand of one of yours... I created a Legion of Monsters, but one loyal to Humanity and to the cause of its survival, rebuilding and propagation after two brutal wars, one against traitors and one against a foe so aggressive and dangerous, they burned hundreds of our worlds with no mercy or respite..."

She took her glasses off, so he could look her in her eyes... To actually see sadness, anger and the fury of what felt like a mother staring back at him as if he'd just insulted or hurt her children... "It was a sacrifice I _willingly_ made... I stole children from the love of their families, not with kind words and promises of heroism, but with the imbued thought that, if they do not fight and do not give it their all _together_ , they will not make it _alone_ where I am sending them. John nearly died on his first mission, had it not been for his teammates, who grew up with him. You brought the Huntsmen and Huntresses you have to you with the promise of a hero's life, of money, you sugar-coated their job in lies of prosperity and sent them forward in a war that's neverending. Our war ended in the most Pyrrhic Victory we could get with billions of sacrifices. For how long has yours been going on with no end in sight? _What_ in Hell are you even fighting?"

He maintained his stance, his teeth audibly scratching each-other as he glared the devil's daggers at her... "Do not mention _sacrifice_ , Catherine! You've no idea what I went through these past millennia trying to keep humanity and the Faunus in a blissful ignorance of what has come before, that they aren't the _first_ , nor will they probably the _last_ , all whilst training the generations of Hunters that have been, are and will be! I've seen good people die, I've witnessed heartfelt sacrifices for the people they loved and cared for! I create people with the will to fight, I make them from children, yes, but at least I give them a _choice_! You _stole_ John and the others and _used_ them!"

"An _Illusion_ of choice, Ozpin." Halsey returned... Her calm demeanor irked him... Fight, woman, fight! Yell, scream, prove to him you're the one he _thinks_ you are! All because of that damned _voice_! She glared back at him with the look of a Veteran guardian... Yet what she said next made Ozpin chill to the bone "Children's minds are easily swayed... You take them young for the same reason I do. Fill their heads with enough of your ideals and they'll think of them as _theirs_. Blissful Ignorance didn't work in my world..." She sighed, rubbing her eyes... And wiping a tear away covertly... She'd had enough... Looking back at Ozpin, her eyes red, she continued "It doesn't work in this one... We all deserve to know what we jump in. And for all you may think of me now, I would _never_ let my Spartans die for nothing... So if you do not tell me what the hell I want to know, what we are facing now aside from the Grimm and who the _hell you are_ , we will leave you to your war..."

... Ozpin's tension seemed to ease... But he still glared at the woman over his pair of glasses... He took them off, then leaned back. "Catherine... Do you know how hard it's been do have you and Cortana around? You must've noticed me wincing or staring questioningly at you whenever you spoke..." And the Doctor raised a brow, putting on her glasses, her puffy eyes seemingly holding back tears. She nodded... Good, she wasn't blind... "It's a long explanation... So start taking notes... If you want to share it with your people, go ahead..."

... The more Halsey listened, the more she couldn't believe. The Headmaster had been around for that long... The Brother Gods? The Grimm? _Salem..._ That name felt sour on her tongue whenever she wanted to speak it. And the things she'd done... Those few the Headmaster had told her about and the Gods' desire to remake humanity? After about an hour of explanations, the Headmaster watched the doctor's face for a reaction... Her lips pursed, then she said "As crazy as all of this seems... Magic? Revival? Actual Gods...? I'm inclined to believe it... I'm living proof that there's _something_ attracting the weird of the universe on Remnant... Salem sounds like me, you say?"

"Yes." Ozpin sighed. "She does."

"... Do you think I'm the same as her, Headmaster?" Halsey asked pragmatically... And Ozpin slightly shifted in his seat... Refusal to answer was enough for Halsey... She closed her eyes, then shook her head and stood up. "Well then... I do believe this meeting is adjourned... if you need anything else from me, Headmaster, I will be finishing up the rearmament... Thank you for being honest, at least..."

... "Thank you as well, Catherine." He noted and watched as her expression shifted to surprise... She'd been honest enough to reveal the files, knowing full well she'd get an earful from him. Even an argument about morality... But it wasn't like she was wrong either. He was in a stalemate with Salem. Had been for millennia now. He hated it... But maybe, just maybe, they would help him break it... "And do call me Ozpin... This doesn't mean our debate on morality is over or that I can forgive what you're doing... But it shows me some common ground."

"Neither of us are on the moral high ground, Hea... Ozpin. We both use Child Soldiers..." Halsey quipped sourly. "And both of us know it's possibly our only way of hoping to even make ground in our wars. Doesn't make it any less morally questionable, but at least it eases our minds to think like that..." And she heard him snort out of amusement. The Doctor nodded, then said "I'll go see the weapon demonstrations, then. A good day."

"To you as well, Catherine. Also, we need a Spartan to go represent us, since the VNN said they wanna do an interview with a SWORD Operative... How about miss Daisy?" The Headmaster spoke, then received a nod from Halsey... As the elevator left, the man leaned back into his seat. This woman was... Well, she was _something else._ Not even Salem matched her personality. Pursing her lips and trying to stop a smile from forming, he continued reading... Reaching the MJOLNIR Armor pages, he became intrigued in the Spartans' powered exoskeletons... And by God, was it a read worth days...

... James was gonna hate him for not sending this...

... In the Beacon FOB Courtyard, now a concrete floor surrounded by towers and a large wall, team RWBY had been invited to see the Marines and Army loading up their new magnetic weapons. MA40 Mag Rifles, M72 Mag Scatterguns, M30 MDMRs, BRM77 Mag Battle Rifles and the SRS-100 Magnetic Anti-Materiel Rifles, as well as sets of M12 Magnum Magnetically-Assisted Personal Defense Weapons. MAPDWs, or Super-Magnums as they'd been nicknamed...

"And you're telling us you helped Doc Halsey design and build these things, girls?" Blake looked to Ruby and Weiss.

"Yes. Quite thoroughly, actually. Ruby's blueprints were amazingly detailed in how to modify the weapons... All the Doctor needed me for was the usage of Dust." Weiss stated... A genuine compliment from Weiss made Ruby blush and smile, rubbing the back of her neck and chuckling. Weiss continued watching as the Marines stocked up on ammunition and looked with awe at the Spartan squads present matching them in pace... Looking at the Weapons, Weiss noticed several mods from the normal look of the originals...

The MA40 was more boxy and modular than the MA5, with Picatinny rails attached to the top, left and right of the gun. Attachments were bought from the local gunshops in droves, with Marine Force Recon troopers having Holographic sights attached to the top, with a laser sight on the right and flashlight on the left. Halsey and Ruby also made the weapons more Remnant-modular... And made them easy to stow and hide, like Crescent Rose or any other Remnant-based weapon...

The MDMR had a more boxy look as well, with the barrel being surrounded by a metallic box case that contained the magnetic coils inside, as well as an ammo counter on the back. There were specialized barrel extensions and silencers hand-machined by the Spartans and others. And Carter, Noble One, as far as she recalled, seemed pretty keen on trying out his new toy.

The BRM77s were rounded out at the barrel and the carry handle was halved. The scope on top was modified to allow for better sight picture and the barrel was again contained in a box of sorts with the mag coils. It also had attachment rails to the side, now manned by the standard-issue Laser Sights and flashlights. They also had grips that also contained bipods that could extend from the weapon's front. Two Army troopers seemed keen to have them like that...

The M72s were Johnson and the new Sergeant's pride and joy. They held grins as they looked at the boxy, reinforced weapons that fired what was basically shards of dust-infused ammunition and superheated enough to punch through any sort of armor worn by infantry. To the side, Kelly too grinned as she patted the new weapon, slinging it on his back. The pistols, well... They were their same models, just a tad more square.

Linda and the Snipers of the Spartan, Marine and Army Corps readied their SRS-100s. Their barrels, elongated and with a smaller muzzle brake, held more coils in boxes similar to the ones on the current weapons. The rifles also had bipods still attached... It'd been only a few days since the Doctor, Ruby and Weiss had finished rearming the Spartans and UNSC/SWORD troops present... it was awe-inspiring.

"Well, I'll be damned, sis... Nice work..." Yang chuckled as she looked at the guns on show.

"I'm happy to know you girls like how the weapons have turned out..." Doctor Halsey said, appearing behind them... All 4 Team RWBY members jumped about a meter into the air, screaming for dear life... The Doctor rolled her eyes as she saw Ruby in Weiss' arms and Blake in Yang's, holding on for dear life. It was amusing. She chuckled, then said "Forgive the scare."

"... Oh, 's fine, doc..." Yang whimpered. "Not like I needed my heart or anything."

"Good to have you back, Doc!" Ruby said cheerfully... Weiss pursed her lips and dropped her teammate. Ruby fell to the floor with a grunt, before standing up and bearing that stupid grin on her face. Halsey stepped up beside them and helped Ruby up, then nodded... And Ruby scooted over beside her "Soooooo... How did the trip go, Doc?" to which Halsey looked to her.

"It was... Certainly refreshing. We got to see the Vale mountains... And had relative peace to accomplish our objectives... Save perhaps for a few Grimm and..." She pointed to Sergeant Forge and his Squad Leaders from the _Spirit_ 's contingent "Well... Recovering a slew of Marines and Army personnel from the UNSC. Most of which have been thought Missing In Action for the better part of the war."

"Cool. Assume you guys fought a horde or something..." Yang shrugged.

"Accurate wording, miss Xiao-Long." Halsey returned.

"I mean, kind of hard not to face down hordes in narrow valleys." Blake said, lowering her book. Halsey nodded, then watched as the Marines, Army and Spartans lined up neatly, presenting arms... Ruby watched gleefully as each unit, with each type of rifle, lined up to a makeshift shooting range formed of five targets. Five soldiers, including a Spartan, carrying MA40s. Taking up positions behind the station, they waited for Halsey to give the order...

"Take aim!" The woman spoke, watching as the troops shouldered the weapons. She nodded, then said "Safeties Off!" and five clicks sounded off... She gave a nod "Fire at will!"

... The rounds fired from the rifles burst through the air at incredible speed. The MA40s had to be fired in half-second bursts at most to not waste ammo. 60 rounds in a magazine didn't mean you could waste them. And the shots were bloody accurate, especially thanks to the attachments on the tops of the guns. Their muzzles flashed scarlet as the rounds exited the barrels, propelled by the superheating magnetic coils and they struck with force... The targets in the firing range were steel plates attached to stationary poles... And the pinging of the rounds was incessant and loud enough to be heard to Vale, the Spartans believed.

Emptying the mags, the soldiers set the safeties on and, keeping the guns pointed down-range, looked to the Doctor. She nodded "Empty chambers and allow the next row in! DMRs up next!" and a mixed group of Marines, Army and a Spartan yet again stepped up. Carter wanted first shot with the new DMR, so, he waited for Doctor's orders... Repeating the same procedure... When doc ordered 'Fire at Will', then, could everyone see the power behind the new DMR. The round gutted through the steel plate it hit with impunity. The howl of the rifle was fucking horrifying... And its stopping power was immeasurable.

"Jeez, my ears..." Yang murmured, clenching her teeth... "That thing sounds like a dying beowolf."

Ruby cleaned her ears with her little finger, cringing, while Weiss had covered Blake's cat ears and Blake covered her own. The Cat squinted, then said "I can't hear anything anymore..." as the Spartan and troopers emptied the last of their rounds. Following up was the Battle Rifles... And the burst of rounds was surprisingly calm, compared to the other guns. And just as accurate... The shotguns followed, then the pistols... And finally, the SRS-100...

And, by God, when that thing fired, you could swear the world was ending...

Enough so that Ruby and Blake found it fit to hide behind the Chief, with Weiss and Yang staring at them, the latter chuckling while the former planted a palm on her face. Doctor Halsey gave a half-smile as she saw Linda emptying the seven other shots in the magazine with perfect accuracy, as usual. She stowed her rifle on her back, then nodded to the Doctor...

"Well... That was something." Yang said, smiling. "Something awesome."

"It's good to have upgraded gear... And more hands on deck." The Spartan noted, arms crossed. He took his helmet off, smiling, as he saw the Marines high-fiving with the Army and the Spartans giving approving nods. John looked over to some of the Army troopers and noticed them bearing emblems that were familiar to him to some degree. He'd cooperated with them a couple times on Reach... Army Rangers.

"Rangers lead the way." John nodded to them.

"And Spartans pave it, sir!" They answered in unison, male and female alike. The thing that John liked with the new guns was the aesthetics weren't really that changed, save for the Picatinny rails and attachments. The boxes around the barrels were the only changes... He watched as the Headmaster entered the place and seemed... Surprised... At the sight of the UNSC Military's new armament. Glynda followed him, eyes wide...

"Gods..." The woman muttered...

"It's good to see more reinforcements..." Ozpin said, then muttered to himself "Though this is indeed getting out of hand..." before walking up to the Doctor and Chief. "Master Chief, Doctor... I came to ask about the Spartan representative."

John raised a brow, before looking to Halsey. She nodded, then said "I already sent a message to Daisy. She said she should be ready soon."

"Yes... Well, I've also got to ask you to do something for me, Doctor. I do believe that sending her without armor will give a more human feel toward the people of Vale. I know what I'm asking sounds insane, but she will be going into a highly-populated area to meet with a reporter. And there is going to be a police presence in the area to make sure nothing bad happens." Ozpin offered. Halsey nodded.

"She wasn't planning on going with her armor... She knows what PR does and showing that she's a simple human will reinforce SWORD's credibility in wanting to protect and work with the people here. She's... Also getting more used to running around without a MJOLNIR suit when off-duty. Which is surprising, but understandable." Halsey noted... Her gut told her something bad was about to happen...

"We have a bullhead prepared." Glynda said... She too seemed a bit worried... Something was off. Why would VNN ask for a Representative from among the people in SWORD as an organization? Why would they ask for a _Spartan_ of all people? Curiosity? Worry? Surprise...? The two women looked at each-other with concern... And as a few minutes passed, while the Spartans, Marines and Soldiers went inside, Daisy had come out in a set of red clothes. A long-sleeved shirt with a SWORD emblem on the chest, a pair of baggy pants and some combat boots. She saluted the Doctor and the others, with team RWBY waving at her. She waved back... And left for the landing pad.

 ** _In Vale..._**

Daisy had touched down, alone for the first time, in Vale. She had her pistol with her and a few mags of ammo, but that was about it. The designated meeting area was a small Cafe within the Residential District. As she walked among the crowds of people, she felt a sense of unease. Strolling past the people, the girl had found herself in the Cafe Blue Moon... Sitting herself down, she'd ordered a coffee and looked out the window...

Out in the corner of her eye, she saw a Faunus sitting and talking with another. Both were enjoying their drinks happily. Daisy sighed, then kept gazing outside, waiting for whomever would be interviewing her to show themselves. She had a few answers ready for possible questions and the rest she'd wing for now... Noticing a strand of light lilac hair in the sea of people, she perked up as she saw the VNN News Anchor, Lisa Lavender, approaching with a cam crew... And a smile.

The woman waved to them just as the Faunus pair left the building... And Daisy heard ticking... And looked to her right...

She gasped... A bag...

And then everything was smoke and fire... The windows of the Blue Moon Cafe burst from the inside out as a gust of flame vaporized whoever was inside. A single corpse, badly battered and burned, flew out of the window, the remnants of her red shirt, boots and pants hanging off her bloody body. She landed on the floor outside, deafened by the blast... She tried to move, but felt only pain surge through her body...

It burned... And it actually hurt... She tried to hold back tears, but couldn't... She couldn't move her right hand. It... It felt wrong... She couldn't see in one eye and the other was so badly hurt by the flash of the detonation, barely now was she gaining a blurry visual of what was going on... People running, screaming, dying... Gunfire, grenades... And Black and White uniforms and red and grey rifles...

The girl's vision returned slowly... She saw her left hand was fine... Pushing herself to her right, she held back a scream as she felt pain in both her right-side limbs... She looked to her right hand and her left eye, the only good one, burst wide open... The arm was _severed._ Only a bloody, burnt stump remained of what once was her good arm... And her right leg was maimed and battered to the point she could see _bone_...

She couldn't hold back anymore... She released a lung-shattering scream due to the pain finally coming to her. Tears streamed down her left cheek as she looked toward the advancing White Fang soldiers, firing indiscriminately into the human crowd... And she saw Lisa, the reporter and her crew, had taken cover. The woman felt with her left hand, despite the pain, for her handgun... And found it, miraculously intact... She pulled it out of its holster and aimed it at the first White Fang goon she saw, before yelling "DIE, YOU TERRORIST BASTARDS!" as she fired...

The first Fang Goon died, his head burst open thanks to the gunshot. The others, about 5 per total, scrambled as they got return fire... Daisy's ears rung, but she didn't care. She was battered, bruised and nearly fuckin' dead, but she didn't _care_! THESE BASTARDS WOULD DIE! Emptying her pistol's magazine, the girl used her good hand and leg to crawl away, leaving a trail of blood...

She heard a gunship sweep in. An Autocannon barked a murderous bark... And soon, she looked to see Infantry deploying... UNSC Rangers deployed, rifles drawn and firing away at the White Fang. And a tall, lean figure ran toward her, clad in MJOLNIR armor... The number on her chest plate read 141... Kneeling beside Daisy, her AR drawn, Cal fired toward the White Fang with extreme prejudice, sitting over her wounded friend and emptying magazine after magazine while the soldiers tried to keep the population around them safe. Human and Faunus alike had been caught by the blast...

Cal looked down as a perimeter had been formed by the troopers and took her helmet off, eyes wide... "Daisy..." She whispered. "You with me, Daze?!"

"I'm here, Cal... Just a bit fucked..." Daisy said, her voice rough...

"You look like hammered shit..." The woman said, leaning over her and administering Biofoam. Daisy chuckled, then coughed...

"Don't make me laugh, Cal... Please..." The girl said as a pair of Marine medics appeared with a stretcher... Cal looked to them, then barked "GET HER ABOARD THE PELICAN AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! We got the White Fang bastards still left in the vicinity!" before patting Daisy on the shoulder and saying "We got you, Daze... We're taking you home..." and taking off, helmet back on her head and rifle thundering...

... Ozpin, Glynda and Halsey watched a news broadcast done by Lavender on the scene... From behind her cover, the woman reported on the unfolding events... And Halsey's eyes went bloody wide... She gritted her teeth, then scowled and leaned forward, touching the screen to turn it off... The woman clenched her fist, felt her hands grow cold... She excused herself and left in the elevator... She sat in it, door unopened...

Then collapsed on the floor, grabbing her head... And she let out a piercing scream... Of horror. Of shock... And of anger. They would pay for this... The White Fang, the man who ordered this... _Salem..._ They would all burn in hell for what they've just done. Every Spartan on-site knew that much. They would break the White Fang's Vale Branch... And if they found the son of a bitch responsible for this, they would _break him._

... Blake sat in her bunks, with her team... And as they watched the events unfold in the news... Blake nearly broke down...

Why...?

Why do this...?

Why now of all times...?


	29. Vengeance is Ours

**_BEGIN RECORDING_**

 ** _"FIRST STRIKE OF THE SWORD"_**

 ** _OPERATION:WARPATH_**

 ** _Y:2556. M:03. D:26  
_**

 ** _ALL ACTIVE UNITS OF SWORD CONTINGENT PREPARED FOR DEPLOYMENT..._**

 ** _ENGAGE. ENGAGE. ENGAGE._**

Payback...

That was all that was in anyone's mind...

Fucking _payback._ For Daisy... And for the 75 people that died, gunned down in that attack. For the 75 families who wouldn't see their loved ones...

SWORD Made a promise... It was time to keep to it.

The air was heavy... Quietly, solemnly and with every ounce of anger any human Vet had ever mustered, every Marine in the base, every Army Trooper and Ranger in the base... Every Spartan in the base... Loaded up their weapons and their kit with extra ammo, grenades and put on balaclavas or masks and goggles. Earlier today, after Daisy's wounding and the reports about the Terror Attack had come through to the Spartans, they'd sent out several scouting teams, among which Noble Team. Every member of the UNSC Military present was itching for a fight... And they were gonna go get it. The Scouting parties pinged several White Fang bases inside and outside of Vale City, several of which were in the Emerald Forest and Forever Falls... It'd taken them three hours to identify the bases and report back. _Three_ hours of seething fucking anger... Of Rage. It was gonna be aimed at the enemy.

Team RWBY was in their dorms, processing what they'd seen the White Fang do... Most of all, Blake, who had frozen out of horror... She'd been quiet, her eyes wide, ever since the events had unfolded. They weren't fast enough to help her gather information, but the Spartans _were_. She'd gotten news from Sam about the event. Daisy was thankfully stable, but unconscious. He'd asked them to stay inside while the upcoming battle unfolded...

She watched as six Bullheads painted in black touched down in Beacon FOB. They had different shapes and weren't armed. More aerodynamic is what they were and with smaller silhouettes. As Darkness fell upon the city and Beacon itself, the girls heard the hum of engines in the distance... And watched as the tidal wave of soldiers and their vehicles scattered into the night, lights off.

Sitting aboard one of the Bullheads, dubbed Ghost-1 due to its callsign, housed the newly-acquired Red Team, sitting with Blue Team. Their objective:A Forward Operating Base of the White Fang's found just in the Forever Falls. Following them in was a compliment of Marines on board Polaski's gunship. She'd be providing cover as Ghost-2. Army troops deployed with Foe Hammer's Pelican and two more Bullheads inside the City, scattering for separate targets.

Eight large bases with outposts around them. Eight aircraft. Eight heavily-guarded targets... Hell was about to be let loose...

John said not a word as he readied his rifle and looked around at the sixteen Spartans aboard. They'd recovered the first half of Red Team prior to Jerome, Alice and Douglas arriving. They looked out toward a set of campfires in the Forever Falls, their lights shining through the scarlet trees. John gave a signal to the pilot to touch down far away as they saw the building they were meant to hit...

Tow Cables deployed and the Spartans rappelled down them, weapons in hand. When their feet touched the ground, they formed a perimeter and moved only when John gave the signal... In a wedge formation, the Spartan Blue and Red Teams moved as fast as sound, but as quietly as a whisper through the shrubbery. When they'd reached the treeline where the clearing with the campfires began, they saw them... At least six dozen Guards, with more on the rooftop... John looked to Linda and gave her a hand signal... The woman set up her Sniper and shouldered it, making calculations for how fast she'd have to switch targets to take out enemy Snipers...

And gave a nod to John a half-second later. John raised his own weapon, shouldered it, then raised his hand as he readied himself to sprint out. The Spartans tensed, fingers wrapping around their triggers as each eyed their target. The image of Daisy's broken body being carried through to the Beacon Medical Center was enough for them to wait eagerly for their order... Nobody fucked with Spartans or UNSC and got away with it...

John aimed for his own target ,farthest in the back... And brought his hand down...

A cannonade of rounds and horrible wailing came from the treeline. Blood splattered the ground, matching the shade of red of the Forest's leaves and shrubs. At least two dozen White Fang troopers were felled in the first volley alone and in the back, atop the buildings, the Snipers on the roof fell, one by one, massive holes in their heads as Linda picked them off from afar, unflinching and uncaring.

Kelly burst out into a sprint first at John's order. Her Shotgun roared twice and a squad of Fangers melted under the barrage of super-heated shrapnel and pellets. She kicked another down and blasted his face in point blank, before sliding underneath another and shooting him in the back of the head. She pulled her knife from its sheath and tossed it into another, effectively pinning him to a tree.

A Frag grenade flew in and detonated, with another 6 White Fang members caught in the blast after huddling together like morons and trying to fire back. Fred joined Kelly in the attack next, his DMR barking. Headshots in continuous stream. He drew his oversized Bowie and stabbed a Fanger right in the throat and twisted the knife, before pulling the knife out and letting the corpse fall limp to the floor.

The Spartan Laser hissed and screamed and a lash of scarlet gutted through the building ahead, drilling a hole into the side and vaporizing a few White Fang members within. Two rockets then flew inside and detonated, sending shrapnel pinging through the room and killing several more as the rest of the Spartans advanced. Linda's rifle never once ceased firing, aiming for anything that moved and didn't have a UNSC IFF.

A pair of SMGs crackled, the red muzzle flashes giving away they'd also been modified. Slowly walking forward, Alice gunned through her foes while Jerome and Douglas erased anything that wasn't friendly... Grimm had come due to both the noise and the fear that the Fang were more than likely feeling. John's rifle roared. More fangers fell, corpses littering the floor.

As they breached through into the three-story building, the Spartans cleared rooms at incredible pace, gunning down anything that moved and wore the White Fang uniform. The Spartans had expended five mags on average so far, with Linda having gone through only two due to her keeping her distance. As she too joined the Spartans on the roof, they signaled an evacuation bird to come in... John had nabbed some intel in the form of unwiped Computers and some folders. Lighting a flare, John showed the Bullhead to come pick them up... This place was the HQ, as far as John could tell... So good intel would be had. Even more lucky if they'd killed the Commander, but from what little John was able to see... He'd left the base earlier that day... Coward probably expected retribution...

They watched as several outposts guarding the base burst ablaze under gunfire from Polaski's bird...

 ** _... Meanwhile, at a base in the Emerald Forest, around the same time..._**

A squad 15 of UNSC Army Rangers followed by 20 extra Army Troopers swiftly and deftly advanced onto their target, their weapons at the ready. This was a base meant to store armament for the White Fang. Approaching the corners of the walled-in camp, they attached a bomb on one of the walls, then took cover and readied themselves to breach... Three... Two... One... And as the detonation came, the soldiers quickly burst through the fire and smoke and the first one's Battle Rifle crackled.

As they secured their bridgehead into the camp, the Army poured in, MA40s barking as they swept the area ahead. The tents in the walled camp were occupied by the troops... The large wooden construct behind them wasn't. It was filled with armaments and ammunition... Their target was just ahead and any Fanger that woke up got a mouthful of Mag Rounds.

Fragmentation grenades flew into the tents, White Fang troopers that just woke up were shot on sight, others who came in to help reinforce were gunned down nigh-instantly. The advancing tide of Army troopers couldn't be halted, not even delayed. White Fang troopers found themselves having to scramble behind wood piles that were meant to be used to further reinforce and expand the base.

"THIS IS NUTS!" One of the White Fang's newer recruits barked to one of his friends.

"THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! HE ASSURED US THESE GUYS DIDN'T MEAN BUSINESS! DAMN TAURUS TO HELL!" Another cried out, hiding behind a pile of wood, whimpering and hiding his head. One of his friends beside him wound up with a bullet to the forehead. Another flopped to the floor as his chest was filled full of mag rounds and a third tried to dump his magazine but missed and died moments after standing up.

There weren't gonna be prisoners tonight, the Army felt...

A grenade pinged off one of the wooden poles that supported the roof of the gun and ammo depot and detonated inside. A flash and a thundering roar, trees and part of the wall fell over. The fast-end offensive of the Army troops halted for nobody at this point... In another part near the camp, a squadron of Rangers dealt with the enemy outpost, their DMRs and ARs constantly spewing burning-hot rounds of superheated alloy. No survivors...

Another Outpost felt the full brunt of a simple 5-man squad with a sniper, grenadier and SAW as their main presence, adding to them two Riflemen. The SAW Gunner's weapon never once ceased firing. It fired so much its barrel had turned a scarlet red. The grenadier sent off rounds from his underbarrel launcher with disregard. Flame grenades ignited what remained of the small encampment...

... Over in Vale, Marines kicked down the doors of an abandoned apartment complex in the lower wards of the Residential Area. The gunfire was muffled by the concrete walls as they swept from room to room. Johnson led this charge, while Forge took on a smaller outpost in a rundown store nearby. His shotgun barked with impunity. He kicked, punched, stabbed and grabbed any enemy he could find, killing them with little remorse.

"Keep moving! Every room! No survivors!" Johnson barked to his men, shouldering his shotgun... Entering one of the Complex's rooms, he found computers... He signaled Marine Techies to grab them and leave with them. He hollered orders to the other Marines as they swept the area clear... His shotgun barked again and again. And anyone armed had a hard time actually firing off a shot. Even those that managed to missed...

Forge's own troops outside gunned down Fangers mercilessly. The Combat must've been heard, but nobody cared at this point. All they needed to do was send a message. And if this wasn't a loud enough scream of "Don't fuck with us!" the Marines didn't know what would be. A frag grenade flew in the abandoned backroom and the cry for help of a White Fang member was enough to tell them they were doing a good job.

Cal was among them... And to say she was pissed was nothing short of an understatement of the century... Her hands were stained by WF Blood.

 ** _... With Noble Team..._**

Noble Team had begun their raid with wordless engagement of enemy forces. Jorge's gatling gun roared as he fired at an advancing convoy of White Fang transports that tried to leave a compound within the Agricultural Sector. Six held on her shoulder a rocket launcher which she happily shouldered and fired at the lead truck. The White Fang soldier inside vaporized.

Whoever managed to jump off in time tried to mount a resistance, raising their rifles to engage the Spartans while other morons charged in with swords. Jorge gunned them down and Emile was more than happy to gut them alive with his Kukri. He cut one's face hard enough to give him a Glasgow Smile before he shot him with his pistol to mercy-kill his ass.

Kat's robotic arm punched clean through another, while, with her left hand, she fired her handgun. She watched as a Patrol Unit marched out behind them, raising their rifles. Carter and Jun were quick to respond with accurate fire, killing at least six of them before the other three opened up. Alice's shields flared and she spun about, only for her to empty her AR into them.

She moved to Jorge's side and patted him on the shoulder, before pointing at a truck trying to back out of the convoy. Jorge nodded and shifted his fire toward it. The bullets, sped up by the mag rail in the gun, gutted through the under-armored cabin of the truck and punched clean through the engine. It burst ablaze and the troopers inside had to evacuate... The morons left through the side of the door Jorge was emptying his LMG into. They died in a pile, bloodied and unable to respond... Even if they were armed.

Alice drew her rocket launcher again and took a knee, aiming for the middle vehicle, before firing. The detonation sent the vehicle sky-high... This shit must've surely been noticed by local authorities... And she wasn't wrong. She looked up at the sky, to notice a Vale News Network Bullhead. Squinting, the woman noticed it was Lisa Lavender aboard, grinning.

... Well, she hoped she looked presentable...

The other Raids went just about as well as these ones. Several White Fang bases of operation were shattered within the span of one night. 5 hours, to be exact, until every last soldier of the White Fang was snuffed out. It was official. The Vale Branch was crippled. The White Fang had sown the seeds of their own destruction. There would be no compromise, no recognition of their beliefs... A few squads had taken prisoners:Some of the higher-ranking Vale troopers... Halsey would make sure they _talked._

 ** _Back within Beacon... Early morning._**

But for now, early in the morning, she had to answer questions... Putting on her poker face and walking inside Ozpin's office, to answer to a video call from the VNN. She and John, now returned from his mission, marched up to the Headmaster's desk, where Jack, Penny and Evelyn were also waiting, still shook over yesterday's events, but able to stand. As Halsey appeared in front of the Video Call, she saw Cameras began to roll...

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen of Vale. I am Lisa Lavender, of the Vale News Network..." Lisa's voice came over the speakers. "After yesterday's horrifying show of force by the White Fang, many believed what had come to pass was nothing short of proof that they consider themselves absolute rulers over the people of Remnant. Yesterday's attack, that cost the lives of 75 men, women and children has made the White Fang lose the support of the non-extremist populace... And yet, in that darkest hour, hope of triumph has come. As you've seen last evening from my Prime-time broadcast aboard the VNN Bullhead, the Operatives of SWORD have returned the White Fang's nightmarish anger tenfold. In possibly the most incredible display of prowess and... Frightening Fury... The Special Warfare and Operative Reconnaissance Division of Vale has struck in retaliation."

"According to rumors across Vale and sources from Beacon itself, SWORD has struck eight... You head that right, ladies and gentlemen, _eight_ of the White Fang's most heavily defended and secret bases within _hours_ of scouting out their location. It is believed at this time that there have been no survivors in last night's raid and to that extent, supporters of the now-Extremist White Fang movement have taken to the streets to demand that SWORD be taken in for obstructing the Fang's 'peaceful' methods..." And she stifled a laugh, clearly, at the use of the word 'peaceful'... Halsey hummed.

"I would like to welcome the faces of the SWORD project in the studio, via Holo-Communication, directly from Beacon Tower, to say their piece on the matter." And she connected the Call to a greenscreen and looked toward her own computer. Doctor Halsey and John appeared, alongside headmaster Ozpin and team JPDE. She nodded to them and said "Master Chief, Doctor Halsey, Headmaster... A pleasure to see you."

"The pleasure is all ours, miss Lavender." Halsey noted, being allowed to speak by both John and Ozpin.

"What occurred last night, miss Halsey... Is it the retribution you've promised in your fiery speech? Or is that just a taste of it?" Lisa asked, smiling. Halsey chuckled darkly.

"Miss Lavender, that was a mere taste... What the White Fang has done yesterday was poke a sleeping giant. They must remember they asked for this War. We are merely going to _win it."_

"As we've figured, Doctor..." Lavender smirked. "What are you willing to say to those that, incredibly enough, still protect the White Fang's actions?" The woman continued.

"That they would best rethink their choices. This is not a warning, it's a fact. The White Fang has started this war and murdered kin of yours and yet you still protect them. I do not know what crazy world you live in, but if you decide to join the Fang and help refurbish its Vale-side Operational Branch... We will wipe it out again with extreme prejudice. Your people have died in front of you and yet you still cling to defending the Fang's actions as righteous after women and children were gunned down and blown apart in front of you on the live news feed... Do you know why they did this?" She asked. "They wanted to wound one of my Operatives, or kill her... You were there to meet her, miss Lavender. And you saw the whole situation..."

"Indeed... It was horrifying..." Lisa shuddered... "How is your Operative, Doctor? I want to bet that the counterstrike last evening was also caused by her wounds..."

"Petty Officer Daisy is... Thankfully stable for now. Though her wounds are severe." Halsey sighed, taking off her glasses and biting back tears. "And you'd be correct to assume that, miss Lavender... The brotherhood between the units of SWORD is not something to frown upon. Especially between the Spartans, who've lived, trained and worked together for much of their operational lives..."

"I believe the saying I'd use, Doc, is... 'Don't fuck with a Spartan... You'll bring the world down on your head _hard_ '." Evelyn whispered, grinning. Halsey chuckled again.

"What will you do now, Doctor?" Lisa asked, looking at her.

"... We will continue our operations. We've crippled the White Fang's branch in Vale to the point where they'd need a mass recruitment drive to gather any help. And after yesterday, even those few who support them won't dare to join. If they do, they were told beforehand of the consequences." And she gave a nod back to John, whose face was shaded...

 ** _Mistral... White Fang headquarters..._**

Grip tightening around her throne's arm, the Khan of the Fang watched as the interview went on. She squinted her amber eyes at the woman known as Halsey and knew well enough she wasn't one to talk nonsense. Her speech in Vale a few days back, now backed by this counteraction of Adam Taurus' foolish... No, _insane_ attacks, proved that the SWORD was way above them... If she wanted the Fang to survive, things would have to change.

"Lady Khan!" One of her Guards, from the large wooden door ahead, spoke. "Adam Taurus has arrived, as per your request."

If nothing else, Adam was punctual... She watched as the Bull Faunus strolled inside, hand on his weapon's sheath. Growling, the woman watched as he knelt... Then spoke... "What has gotten into you, Adam?" as calmly as she could. And that was in a low growl. Adam seemed surprised as he looked up and wanted to speak, but Lady Khan cut him off "You have just cost us the support of the entire Vale Faunus populace... And perhaps whomever else has seen the Broadcast, Adam... To what end? To avenge a base we've lost? They would've been martyrs to the cause..."

"L-Lady Khan, I-"

"You, what? Adam... You have destroyed years of trust with the Faunus that were not in our organization in one fell swoop. You have caused more damage to the White Fang's infrastructure and the small Army we've created by simply charging in, _head first_ as you usually do... Your inconsiderate First Strike has cost us very much, Adam... And I dread how long we will have to recover..." Sienna Khan spoke, her scowl ever-present. "And worst of all, you've made Foes of the SWORD of Vale... And you saw what that has just done. In one night, Adam, everything I gave you to command was burned to cinders... Leave." She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Adam looked up, shocked, before trying to protest, but she stopped him "I said _leave... Adam._ Your punishment shall be seen to later..."

... With nothing else to say, the White Fang's Vale Commander stormed out of the room... Much to the woman's chagrin. With a sigh, she leaned into her palm. More resources to divert, more people to send away from Menagerie and Mistral... This was disconcerting and enough so that what had just happened had set the White Fang back a good few months... Rubbing her temples, Lady Khan continued to watch the interview with spite...


	30. Hyper-Lethal Buddies

The Chief stretched as he'd just woken up. He watched as team JPDE did their usual business. He looked out to see Evelyn sitting outside on the balcony and chatting with Cortana. He stood up from his bed and donned his uniform, before walking toward the balcony and entering onto it. He leaned back as he let the girls exchange laughs, with Oppy yet again playing...

Cortana looked back and said "Good morning, sleepyhead."

The Spartan hummed, then said "I slept as usual. Don't know how early you girls get up..."

And he watched as Cortana and Evelyn blushed, looking on surprised... John had also heard it... His voice had kicked back into that low, velvet smoothness of old and he froze upon hearing it... Oppy smiled, then looked to the girls and said "Mommy. Chief's voice changed overnight... Doesn't that seem statistically improbable?" To which Cortana simply nodded... She pursed her lips...

"... This is a sudden change." John said, feeling the more guttural voice come out again... "Cortana, analysis?"

"... I think your... Shall we say, puberty... is kicking in again..." Cortana said, trying to hide the fact Evelyn was biting her lower lip. And that she'd need a new suit. Evelyn chuckled as she tried to hide herself while drooling. His voice was too much to handle. Cortana hummed, then said "Your voice is back with a vengeance, John." to which the Spartan frowned... She wasn't wrong, but why did they look so flustered about it?

"... I'll hit the gym, girls." He stated, going out toward the toilet.

"Sure thing, Johnny..." Evelyn said, watching as the Spartan strolled into the bathroom before she turned to Cortana and went bug-eyed, grinning "Holy shit, his _voice_! It's like melted butter!"

"I know." Cortana giggled, grinning to her ears.

"Ain't no lie..." Jack leaned in too. "His voice is like velvet cake." And the trio of girls giggled together. Penny seemed content with just sitting by Oppy now. The Spartan strolled out of the bathroom, wearing his PT Gear. Again, it hugged his form so well that the girls had to air themselves out not to faint. Well, save for Oppy, who seemed to smile... Even Penny was a bit flustered, looking away and whistling while sneaking a peek every so often.

"Are you girls gonna be okay without me?" He asked them.

"John, we're grown-up girls. I think we can handle ourselves just fine." Cortana hummed, crossing her arms "Tsk, tsk, tsk, so little trust." and she looked away, a hint flustered still. The Chief hummed, squinting curiously at Cortana, before shrugging and walking off toward the Gym. And getting there, the Spartan immediately went on the treadmill, slowly upping his speed every two minutes until he broke into an all-out sprint.

He watched as a young woman took the treadmill next to him. She had UNSC PT Gear as well, her tags around her neck. They read SIERRA-B312... Noble Six. Chief had heard the Callsign about 3 times in his life. Once from Cortana during the Recovery operation on Remnant, almost 3 months ago. The others? Files soaked in 'Black Ink'. The woman beside him was such a mystery, nobody outside some prevalent and even more secret ONI Operatives knew her. Her file, the bits that the Chief _could_ read, gave her the rating 'Hyper-Lethal'... A rating only he'd achieved through hard work...

... Maybe it wouldn't hurt to say hi to a fellow Vector. The woman was, after all, a fellow Spartan. He cleared his throat as Six had begun to pick up speed on the treadmill. She turned to him, then her eyes widened and she gave a salute. Chief gave a salute back, then said "At ease, Six. Keep yourself on the treadmill." before looking forward. Six nodded, staying silent for the most part... John figured it'd be best to start with the basics, or why Cortana would know her and her team... "So, Cortana said she knew you and your team. How come?"

"Sir." The woman nodded. "During Reach's final hours, a bit before the _Autumn_ had made an emergency landing at the Aszod Break Yards, we met with Doctor Halsey to retrieve a Package. I do believe Cortana, or at least a fraction thereof, was inside the microchip given to us by the Doctor, to haul to the ship. After I handed her over to Captain Keyes and... Subsequently lost Emile, Noble Four, who was manning the Onager, in the fighting, I went to man the Onager MAC Gun that was defending the platform that the _Autumn_ was situated upon. Somehow, I was lucky enough to have shot down the CCS heading for it, giving you and the others time to take off."

... So that meant... "You saved the lives of me, Linda, Keyes, Cortana and everyone aboard the Autumn..." He noted, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"... Yessir." Six simply stated, continuing her run with a solemn look on her face.

"What happened afterward...? I imagine Keyes tried to send a bird over to you?" John asked.

"Negative, sir. The Captain and his Marines asked me to board the Pelican with them after I handed Cortana and when the Covie Cruiser appeared, so they could dust off with one extra Spartan aboard... But from how close that CCS-Class Cruiser was, I knew we wouldn't make it off-planet or even out of drydock before that sonofabitch would've shot us down. So..." She sighed, remembering how poorly Reach went... And how thankful she was deep down that they were revived on Remnant, before continuing "I had the Gun. After you made it off-planet and out-system, I was left on my own... Fought for at least ten days before I was finally overrun."

John pursed his lips... Six had given up her chance at escaping with them... She'd basically relinquished her life, giving them time to escape and find salvation in the Halo's database. In acquiring the Elites as allies...

"... Thank you, Six." John spoke softly. "I think we owe you one... _All_ of humanity does."

"With all due respect, sir... I only did what any Spartan would do. I'm thankful to know, from what Cortana has shared with the rest of us, that the sacrifice I and my team made wasn't in vain. That humanity won out in the end... Even if it was a very Pyrrhic Victory." Six returned with a solemn look in her deep blue eyes. She'd fought and wound up a casualty on a list. Like her fellow IIIs.

"Commendable." John gave a nod. "What's your name, Six? For future reference of the person who pulled us out of the fire when we needed it."

"Alice, sir. Alice-B312." The woman had taken a moment to answer, but seemed to be quite calm in saying it. John nodded, then said "A pleasure."

"All mine, sir." The girl hummed. She held back a smile. The Hero of Earth and Humanity just praised her... So it was something entirely amazing for Six to talk to the very man that is the first Hyper-Lethal Vector and the Veteran of the UNSC. This guy was the posterboy for most of the UNSC's anti-Covenant actions and, if what she read was true, he was also the reason that the Elites ditched the Covies... Well, that and a lot of political clout going on.

"How would you feel about a little Spar, Alice?" He asked the girl, making her stagger and nearly fall off the treadmill. She looked to John as she regained her footing, then pointed at herself. John nodded "Yes, Lieutenant, you. Hand-to-hand, in our armors."

... Oh, she wasn't turning this one down. "What time?"

"Within 30 minutes. Beacon FOB courtyard." John stated, a wry grin on his face.

"You're on." She gave a similar grin as they shook hands. After completing their respective workouts, the duet of Spartans left each for their rooms. Walking into the FOB courtyard, in full armors, both of them seemed ready for the brawl. Marines and Spartans gathered outside dropped whatever they were doing and took up to forming a crowd ring around the duo of Spartans.

Kat and Carter met up in the crowd, pushing their way through, only to see Six geared up... "What the hell is she doing?" Carter asked, before looking to see the Chief in front of her... " _Oh, no..._ What'd she do to piss off the Chief?" before Kat looked on with a grin and cheered "Give him hell, Six! Show the IIs that we can fight just as well as them!" to which Carter planted a palm on his face and groaned aloud.

Somewhere in the corner, someone was making a betting pool. And Marines and Army troopers were lining up with their Lien...

Six cracked her neck, then her knuckles and said "Ya sure you wanna do this, Chief? I'm more nimble than I look."

"So am I. To be fair here, I'll give you the first shot." John said, taking his stance. Six grinned behind her helmet, taking her own stance... "Big mistake..." She raised three fingers and gave a countdown... Three... She tensed. Two, she readied to run... And one. She surged forward, cocking back her right fist as she saw John not flinch. She threw the punch, aimed right for his helmet, then gasped, noticing the Chief duck with incredible speed. Before she could look down, she felt his helmet make contact _hard_ with her chin.

She staggered back, before being forced on the defensive. John was surgical and precise with his strikes, but Six was thankfully fast enough to keep pace and deflect or parry any incoming punches. She stopped a Haymaker coming from the Chief, before returning the punch and seeing him deflect it. She aimed for an uppercut with her right, but the man was quick enough to dodge it that she only skimmed one of the flashlight ports on his helmet with her thumb. Chief gave her a right hook as her defenses were down and sent her doubling over.

The girl growled, then rushed forward, lunging to deliver a series of quick punches into the Chief's gut and chest. He managed to defend from several of them, but got hit by several more. He was a bit on the back foot, but not for long. Both hands held in front of his face and visor to stop any incoming strike for the general head area, the Chief looked for an opening.

He felt a punch connect with his gut and it actually had some force behind it. He jumped back, before surging forward again. He jumped and spun, delivering a Roundhouse to the side of Six's head. She was quick enough to stop the hit, but When Irresistible Force met Immovable Object, a thundering, Sonic Boom sent a gust of wind strong enough to nearly knock some Marines on their asses post impact.

Six doubled over after the hit, skidding back two feet. She quickly regained her composure, before rushing the Chief as he was midway through regaining his own form. She dodged a left hook aimed for her head by bobbing under Chief's hand, grabbed said hand, pushed it back and delivered a chambered punch right to John's helmet. It was hard enough that it made the Chief grit his teeth. He kicked Six off, before grabbing her by her own arm, pulling her forward and gaining some momentum himself.

Enough so that his next punch sent Six tumbling to the floor... But despite the consciousness-shattering punch, the girl jumped back to her feet, shook her head to clear the concussion and charged John, delivering a drop-kick into the man's now exposed back, sending him to the floor as well. John too jumped back to his feet, before swiveling about and gritting his teeth. Six blew a bit of hair out of her eye with her mouth. The Marines cheered them on as the fight went.

The two clashed again, this time stopping each-other's fists by grabbing them and pushing against each-other, head-to-head... Six grinned behind her helmet and said "You move pretty good." to which John answered "Not so bad yourself..." Both having strained voices as they fought against each-other's own muscle mass and armor. For being a forehead shorter than him in full armor, Six packed some strength... As they pushed each-other, armored forehead on armored forehead, the ground below them began to crack...

"They're an almost even match..." Carter noted, a hint of shock in his words.

"Almost... Six is still a Spartan-III like us. Watch." Kat hummed, watching as the only other female member of Noble fought. Before she gasped as she saw Chief push Six off and charge the girl. He picked her up by the waist, raised her up and basically tried to slam her into the floor... And succeeded. The floor below them cracked as the Spartan made contact with it, but she was quick to roll out of the way, despite feeling much pain in her back. She kicked Chief in the knee, sending him to the floor for a bit as she regained her composure. She rushed him, grabbed him by the back of his armor and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was quick to counteract this by elbowing Six in the gut and, as she staggered back, turning about and delivering an uppercut...

Then another...

And a Haymaker as he stood up...

Six staggered and doubled over as John took his form, before taking a step forward... And falling to her knees. Then on her side. She turned over onto her back, much to the cheers of the Marines and Army troopers around(And the chagrin of some who bet on her), while Kat chuckled "Man, she didn't do half bad..." to which Carter nodded in agreement. He wanted to go help Six up, but stopped after Kat put a hand in front of him and pointed at the Chief.

Alice took her helmet off, a bloody grin on her face as her eyes readjusted to combat the clouding of her vision. She looked up at the cloudy sky and saw John approach. He took his helmet off his head too, revealing a half-grin as he extended his hand toward her and speaking out "Not bad, Alice... Not bad at all." words to which the woman chuckled. She took his hand and felt herself hoisted up onto her feet. She wiped the blood from her nose and said "Thanks, Chief... I got a little cocky near the end."

Chief shrugged, then said "Concussion must've been getting to you."

She rolled her eyes, then mock laughed "Oh, ha ha. Very funny." before dusting herself off. She looked to see John extended his hand. He gave a nod to her and she gripped and shook. It was a good fight... And the Troopers around yet again cheered... Alice, as her vision cleared, saw she drew a little blood from the Chief too. She expected to lose, since she was way in over head and facing a Veteran, but she wanted to see how far she'd get in a melee with the most badass Spartan this side of the Galaxy.

"Thanks for a good fight. It was interesting to see what the _other_ Hyper-Lethal Vector had to show for the tag." John crossed his arms. "It's well-earned."

"Thank you, sir." Alice said, rubbing the back of her neck, a hint embarrassed. She was thankfully able to suppress the flush in her cheeks before it became a problem. She watched as Doctor Halsey stepped through the crowd, then snapped to attention and called out "Doctor, On Deck!" to which John and the others followed suit. Doctor Halsey looked at the two roughed-up Spartans and the circle of people formed around them... Then called out to them "Alright, Marines, Troopers, clear out! I've got something to talk to the Spartans about!"

As the group scattered, she looked to John and Alice and said "Roughed each-other up, Hyper-Lethal Vectors?" to which they both nodded. Halsey snorted, then said "Good, good. A friendly competition was due anyways... Anyways, we've got news... It's about one final... Event." And she then pulled out her datapad and pointed to a location in the Vale Mountains... Mt. Glenn, as it was pegged on the map. She hummed, then said "We're getting a massive beacon from near within Mt. Glenn. I'll go brief the others and I've spoken to Ozpin about it. We'll be getting team RWBY and your team as Support, John, but he requests we send only NOBLE, RED and BLUE for the exploration of the ruins..."

Six hummed "I'll go find the rest of NOBLE and tell them about it, ma'am. When're we leaving?"

"Five days from now. Pack your bags on time and make sure to have extra ammo. Mt. Glenn fell because of a Grimm Incursion as far as we know... Let's make sure we don't get caught with our trousers down, yes?" Halsey asked. Six gave a nod, saluted and gave a nod and grin to the Chief, before she stepped off. Halsey hummed, then said "Alice and you can probably cooperate really well. Hyper-Lethal Vectors and all..."

"Isn't she more of a Lone Wolf?" John asked, watching as Halsey stowed the tablet.

She looked to him with a calm, collected look, but fraught with worry, then said "People change, John..." a hint sad... "Anyways, proceed with caution in Mt. Glenn. It's supposedly the house of one of the last WF bases. And the biggest one... It'll be their last stand there, John. If the situation degenerates, call upon the rest of the Spartans and our small army... I'm sure they'll be more than glad to join the assault."

"Yes, ma'am." John nodded. "What's the beacon from?"

"... Something lost long ago, John. Jerome, Alice and Douglas can probably brief you better than I can about it. Good luck." She nodded... As she stepped off, even John could notice something was wrong with the good Doctor... He suspected it was due to Daisy's current condition... Being comatose, specifically. He sighed, then walked off to find BLUE and the rest of JPDE to brief them.

... Deep in the rocks of Mt. Glenn, however...

Something awoke...

 _"Captain... Wake up... Something has happened!"_


	31. Revelation and Preparation

John walked to meet with team RWBY in the gym, again, clad in his gym clothes to fit into the decor. He was gonna talk to them about the outing in Mt. Glenn, among other things. So, as he strolled into the gym, he found them sitting there... Ruby pouted at... Probably the fact she had to do exercise. She had her cape on over a short-sleeved T-Shirt with red, on which was written the words 'Mini-Milk'(the hell?) and a pair of red shorts held up by two belts and with a small cross on her right. Blake and Weiss wore pretty much the same styles of clothing, except Blake's was black and Weiss's was white. Yang, meanwhile, wore a tank top that hugged her frame tightly. She had a pair of brown, saggy jeans on and, on her hands, bandages.

Okay... Weird assortment of clothing, but he'd have to get used to it. Clearing his throat as he walked up to them, team RWBY swiveled about and three out of the four went bug-eyed at the Chief. Ruby squeaked and hid behind Yang, who was grinning ear-to-ear while blushing and Weiss rubbed her arm, embarrassed. Yang whistled, before stating the obvious "Damn, Johnny. Still as hot as during our training."

"..." John didn't know how to take that. And she saw Yang slightly tilt forward, before hearing an embarrassed "Stop it!" from behind the girl. The Blonde chuckled, then looked back and stepped aside. Ruby was cowering behind her red hood to the point it actually was... Kind of cute? John shrugged, then sighed and looked at the girls. He continued "So, I understand you girls have a mission in Mt. Glenn."

"Yep. Due in 5 days." Yang noted, pushing a bit of her blonde mane back over her shoulder. "You guys are coming with, right? Got more of your friends nearby?"

"Something akin to it..." Chief hummed. "... Anyways, it's good to have you as backup." And he looked to Blake "And miss Belladonna, Sam told me about your... Adverse reaction to hearing the news of the White Fang's demise." He spoke quietly, then walked up to Blake and whispered "We've gathered enough intel to know who was in charge of this place's branch. If the rest of the White Fang makes any sort of public statement condemning this branch's actions later, we will reconsider fighting them..."

"Y'know Blakey was...?" Yang raised a brow as Blake looked on, surprised. John gave a nod.

"Sam figured it out upon first seeing her acting the way she did at the news..." He noted, then noticed Blake's shifty looks and sighed. "Anyways, ignoring that... You girls were here for training, I presume... Need a hand?" to which Yang raised a brow. Her grin returned and John wondered what the hell he'd triggered at that point. The blonde stepped up to him, grin withstanding...

"Offering to teach us, young ones, something about PT there, Sir?" She quipped.

"... Uhm, sure?" John shrugged.

"I got a challenge for ya, Chief." Yang stated as suddenly as that. Ruby planted a palm on her face, Blake said a muttered 'Oh, no' and Weiss pursed her lips in worry... Oh, boy... John tilted his head, showing Yang to continue, to which the blonde said "I wanna see how strong y'actually are. I know Spartans are pretty tough and all that, but I do really wanna see that strength in action... So, I challenge you to lift all four of us and a bench we'll be sitting on."

That seemed easy enou-

"Blindfolded."

... There it was.

"... Sounds easy to me." John shrugged. It probably was. He just needed to keep his balance without seeing jack. Yang grinned, then tossed John a towel and showed him to wrap it around his eyes. He put it around his neck first, then said "Sit yourselves down first..." much to the silent protests of the rest of the team, with a blushing Ruby being the most vehement... The girls let out a collective silent groan, aside from Yang, who sat down with the most proud grin ever...

As Doctor Halsey and Cortana walked in, the woman noticed the event... "Oh, God..." And Cortana looked over to see it too... John, now blindfolded, put his hands under the bench on which team RWBY was sat. Ruby was coiled up, blushing and trying to hide herself, her eyes wide, Blake was reading and Weiss was just sitting there, grip ever-tightening on the armrest... As John hoisted up the girls, his muscles tensed, strained and pushed into the material of his shirt and pants, further exposing his already bulging muscles.

The Spartan stood up, with a grin, slightly staggering... Weiss yelped as she felt herself nearly slip off, while Blake looked on into a book she'd brought out. Yang cheered the Chief on loudly, raising her left hand in the air. The AI-turned-female snorted and looked to the Doctor, who was rubbing her temples and groaning. The Chief managed to lift the bench with ease over his head, whilst Weiss held on for dear life, her face beet red... And John was actually smiling as he did the challenge... Doctor Halsey took a moment to look over to the smiling Spartan as he lifted the bench through Yang's cheering... And her heart skipped a beat...

"Hahahaha! I _called_ it!" Yang yelled "Knew you could do it, Chief!"

The Spartan gently put down the bench, then took off his blindfold and said "Like I said before, Yang. Easy enough." before turning to be greeted by Doctor Halsey and Cortana. His eyes wide, he pursed his lips and nodded to the Doctor, who nodded back... And smiled warmly. Cortana placed a hand on her shoulder, then nodded to John as well, smiling too.

... It was like staring at two different versions of Halsey...

"I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself, John." The Doctor spoke, before looking to Ruby and greeting "Hello, miss Rose, miss Schnee, you two seem to have a fever."

"E-Eeh...? Doctor, we're fine." Ruby stuttered, trying to hide her blush in her cape... And Weiss damning herself for not bringing something to cover herself up too. Halsey took a moment to ponder what was going on, looking between John and the girls. She realized it and forced herself to hide an even wider smile, shaking her head. She spoke "I'll go and check on Daisy... I'll be seeing you around." and with that, stepped off.

"It just me, or... Did the doc seem a bit sad?" Yang hummed...

"It's a lot to take in, Yang." Cortana responded... "Nearly losing Daisy's caused something to click in the doctor and I think it's building up to either something tragic or... Ya know. Something something Spartan Mom."

The girls chuckled and John rubbed the back of his neck and nodded... He was worried too, now that he saw it...

... In the BEACON FOB, in the Medical Bay, which was lined with advanced medical tech, including state-of-the-art beds and all that jazz, Halsey walked in, before stopping at the door. She saw the long, platinum hair and wolf ears located next to the bed of the wounded Spartan. A hand lay on Daisy's only good one, clasping it. Cal watched the young Daisy as she slept, an oxygen mask on her face and a series of bandages, IV Drips and metal stubs on her lost leg and arm... Her heart monitor quietly hummed in the corner next to the bed.

Cal ran her hand down Daisy's cheek and sighed. "Unlucky as you were, thank God you're alive, Daze... I don't think I could've taken losing ya again... Believe it or not, I think you went out before me... Harvest and all." She chuckled sadly, her fingers gently tracing a path onto the girl's forehead. "I heard the reports and it... Was disheartening to see how many of us went quote-unquote 'MIA' during the early years alone."

"I'm babbling and skipping all over the place..." The girl sighed, leaning onto the bed, her head resting beside Daisy's hip and staring at the broken form of her comrade... "I'm a right mess, Daisy... Gotta be honest. I don't know what happened when that bomb hit, but... Seeing you flung around like a ragdoll, then seeing you on the floor, missing an eye and limbs? It felt like a nail was driven into my chest... It hurt, for some reason..."

Halsey listened on, feeling her heart drop as Cal continued to speak, her voice cracking a bit... "When you died on Harvest and I caught wind of it, it hurt enough that I shut myself in, Daisy. You wouldn't believe how many Lone Wolf ops I went on, avoiding other Spartans and humans, just to get away from ever having to feel that... I was and am a Spartan, Daze, but... That, for some reason, doesn't mean I don't feel emotion. I just suppressed it then, stuck it in the back of my noggin and went on fighting. It never came out... And now, with this? It snapped me out of it... I was pissed... Really, really, _really_ pissed I didn't get to you in time... That I couldn't see this was an ambush..."

She choked a bit and said "And now look at you... Half-dead, missing limbs and on a hospital bed... I thought it was bad enough _not_ to see someone you care for just prior to or after their death... This hurts _way more_. What we did during Warpath was not only for the Civvies... I joined John and his team because I wanted payback for you... I didn't want to believe the event I both _wanted_ and _didn't_ want to see happened in front of my eyes... Mere minutes away... and I was powerless to stop it..." She gritted her teeth and Halsey could hear something... Else... She had longer canines, it seemed, as they made a louder noise due to them scratching against the other teeth... And Halsey saw her grip tighten around Daisy's hand. "Please... Please, just wake up and tell me you're gonna be fine... This waiting's killing me... I know you're just in a coma, but... I know of people who never wake up... Don't you do that to me..." And... A tear plopped to the floor... And another... As Cal leaned forward, onto the bed, again.

... Halsey felt her mouth dry up... She swallowed empty, closed her eyes and walked off toward what was assigned as her room. She entered it, shut the door behind her and leaned against said door, sliding down it and simply staring up at the ceiling, trying to contain the scream of pain that threatened to escape. She bit down on the scream, holding it back, before she took off her glasses and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks... Her lower lip trembled. Again, she bit down on it. She wanted to go, comfort Cal and tell her Daisy would, of course, wake up... But not even _she_ was certain of the probability of that. Daisy had lost a lot of blood...

She was a Spartan. Halsey knew it. She made the girl. She saw the girl's fighting spirit when she first tried to escape. And Daisy fought. She still fought. A lot. A lot of pain, a lot of anger, a lot of sadness. She'd probably seen her homeworld burned during the early years of the campaign. But Cal...? Her and Daisy didn't interact much during Basic... Or at least didn't where she could see them. She'd heard the girls cooperated before Harvest and one time, during it...

Her hands balled into fists. She wiped the tears away, then pushed herself to her feet and put on her glasses. Despite her eyes being red as blood due to the crying. She let them return to their normal white hue, then stepped out of her room and back to the infirmary... She strolled inside, toward Cal and noticed that the girl had fallen asleep, hand still holding Daisy's... She looked sympathetically toward the girl, then took a blanket off one of the beds and wrapped it around the sleeping girl's shoulders, before taking to Daisy's other side to check her vitals... Everything was stable for now... Normal...

"Uunngh..." A groan... Halsey gasped and looked over to Daisy. The girl's good eye slowly flickered open... Then she whispered "Doctor? Where..."

Halsey leaned in toward Daisy and whispered "Shhh. You're safe, Daisy. You're in the Beacon FOB's medical wing... Be a bit quiet..." And she tilted her head to the right, to the sleeping Cal... Daisy slowly craned her head over to Cal and saw the girl, hand wrapped around hers and tried to reach over with the other... She sighed, leaned back and chuckled weakly.

"Right... Stumps..." She sighed, then looked to Halsey "How're ya doing, Doc? You look like you just bawled your eyes out..."

Halsey blushed... How'd she...

Daisy grinned widely at the doctor "Heh... Doc, I can read you like a book..."

"... How are you feeling, Daisy?" She whispered back to the girl, clearly worried. Daisy took a moment to look over the Doctor who had so thoughtlessly stolen her, Cal and the others, now showing a hint of compassion... Her old eyes staring into Daisy's one blue one. The young Spartan noticed the regret in the Doctor's eyes. And she felt a moment of pause...

"I could be way worse." Daisy quipped. "You, doc? How're ya holding up?"

"... I've been better, I'll openly admit." Halsey said. She put a hand on Daisy's shoulder and... Wanted to say something, but she couldn't properly articulate it... Daisy smiled as she saw the Doc struggle, then shook her head and said "No need to say more, Doc... Y'owe me a new leg and an arm, but otherwise, we're okay... We've been given a new shot at life. Why not give the Doctor who stole us another chance too? We all understood what you were trying to do, doc."

... Halsey was left a bit speechless. That was a first...

"Doc... Do ya mind if I sleep some more?" She asked, a bit weaker this time. "Dunno how many gallons of blood I lost, but I need a nap..."

"No problem, Daisy... Sleep tight." Halsey hummed... Then walked off.

"Oh... And Doc?" She stopped Halsey in her tracks... The Doctor turned around, her brow raised, as Daisy gave her a warmer smile and said "Thanks... I don't think I would've survived the bomb without the Spartan gene mods... I owe you at least that much in thanks. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here and talking..." And with that last word, the girl fell asleep... You're welcome, Daisy... And thank you...

... _Within Vale_

Kat and Six/Alice had landed in Vale, in full Spartan Kit, but helmets off their heads and only sidearms on their hips. They walked, with a third Spartan Rookie, one Warrant Officer Ahshi-B131, into Vale to gather items needed for future ops. And a Katana for Ahshi. Because she'd apparently requested it. So, they walked into Vale's commercial district to gather the needed supplies.

"So... We need clothing in case of undercover operations..." Kat had pulled out her data tablet to read aloud the list "Dust for Special Ammunition Manufacturing, communication gear to boost Radio Signal transmission and possibly contact any friendlies outside the Beacon CCTS range that may've landed on Remnant... Et-Cetera." She slid the tablet back into her armor's pocket, then looked to Six as they stepped into the crowd, being looked at by the people with smiles and joy. She waved back to them, then said to Six "Seems we're popular."

"Bound to be when we smash one of the biggest pains in the ass the people here have met." Six hummed in agreement, waving to the people as well, but keeping her eyes open for possible targets. There were Faunus in the crowd, but most of them stared with a smile or a handwave. The Spartan girl looked to her comrade and said "Let's split up. You go gather clothing and I'll take Ahshi and go munitions-shopping."

"That works for me. Meet you back here in two hours?" Kat offered.

"Sure thing." She gave a nod, then turned to Ahshi and said "C'mon, Nippon." to which the Asian girl in SPI armor stuck her tongue out at Six, before grinning as she strolled beside Six. The duet walked by weapon makers with visibly different guns and gear than what you'd usually find at a normal store. Within the Pseudo-Bazaar that was being prepared for what the girls remembered was called the 'Vytal Festival', they found them... A weapon maker that sold blades. Among which, the curved weapon they were looking for. It was a basic Katana and sold for quite the cheap price, but it had a good sheath and was good for mods...

As they walked back, cases of volatile Dust in hand and Ahshi's Katana in her own two hands, with the girl examining it with a grin, Ahshi felt the need to say "Thanks for taking me, Alice... Been a long while since we last talked." to which the Noble team member simply nodded... She took her helmet off, halting in the middle of the bazaar, before smelling the fresh air.

"Ya okay?" Ahshi asked, taking a step up beside her... The girl had a combination of auburn and blue in her eyes and had all the nice features you'd expect someone of Japanese Asian descent to have, but the hair was a scarlet so bright it was stunning. She'd caught it in a traditional bun with those strange wooden sticks/needles through it in a cross... She was the most stereotypical Japanese person Six knew... And now the Katana clipped on her belt tripled that.

"Fine... Just happy I'm alive..." Alice hummed.

"Amen to that. _Thank God."_ The girl spoke, saying that last part in Japanese. She wanted to add one extra word, but froze as she saw a white-haired woman slam into Six by mistake, staggering a bit... The woman was a beauty of her own right, with a scar across her left eye and short, white-hair caught in a bun. She wore more medieval armor, made of leather, with a white shirt and brown leather pants and boots and greaves. On her back was a sword, with the pommel, a circular item run through the middle by the hilt of the sword. Its hand-guard was in a reversed V-Shape, pointing upward and almost parallel to the straight, European-style blade itself, which was locked in a scarlet sheath of velvet, metal and leather...

"Oh, Sorry..." Alice hummed, looking at the woman as she spoke "Didn't see you the-..."

... What...?

The two white-haired beauties stared with wide eyes at each-other, Six a bit over a head above the medieval-looking knighttress before her. Their mouths agape, the two women poked at each-other's faces and Ahshi stared with eyes as wide as golf balls... The two girls had almost the same face. Save for the scar over the eye of the one on the right, Alice and her matched feat for feat...

"... Excuse me..." Ahshi raised both hands "What the fuck?"

"Y... Y-You have my face..." The woman with the sword spoke in a voice of velvet, melodious and saintly, but run through with shock. Alice clenched her teeth a couple times, then gave the woman a once-over, before pursing her lips. The woman before her gave a similar look-over of Six and saw her armor, then noted "Except I'm not wearing this bulky and... Utilitarian a set of armor..."

"... And I'm not that short." Alice shot back, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Touche." The girl returned, crossing her arms... She gave a half-smile, faint enough that only Six picked it up, then spoke softly "What's your name?" to which Six crossed her arms too... These two were emulating each-other pose for pose and Ahshi could just sit there and stare, confused as to what the sweet fuckery was going on. Six tilted her head as if saying 'you first'.

The girl grinned "I'm... Elen." She answered calmly after a moment of pause...

"Alice. A pleasure to meet you, Elen." The Spartan extended her hand. The two shook hands and Alice noticed a wolf's pendant, with scarlet gems for eyes and an open, fanged mouth, around her neck. She squinted at it and Elen hummed, before saying "It's a... Family heirloom, before you ask. The Pendant. My father gave it to me..." She hesitated a moment.

"Keen eyes." Six hummed, nodding to the girl. "It's a nice pendant."

"Thanks... Your armor's not so bad either. Any story behind it?" The Girl with the Wolf Pendant asked, smiling. Six gave a nod... Oh, were there so many stories of this old girl.

"Quite a lot, actually... Not all of them pretty. What about your sword?" Six tilted her head.

Elen chuckled "A lot as well. Some are pretty, some are not."

"Similarities never end, then." Six remarked snarkly. "You seemed in a hurry, Elen... Something up?"

"Oh... Oh! Yes, thank you for reminding me, Alice. I have to rush to meet someone and I think I may be late already!" The girl spoke. "It was a pleasure to meet you and your..." She nodded to Ahshi "Quiet companion... Hope we see each-other again and regale in stories of each-other's blunders, Alice." She extended her hand and Six shook it firmly. "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye and Godspeed, Elen. Say hello to your friend from us." She noted, then watched as the woman rushed through the crowd, vanishing within it... Ahshi took a moment or two to process, before Six finally spoke "That was weird. But I'm so used to it at this point, I'm unfazed. C'mon, Ahshi. Gotta go meet Kat before it gets dark." And she dragged along her friend.


	32. A Freak of Nature

**_5 days later. Trip preparations complete..._**

A single UNSC/SWORD Bird flew out from the base, bearing toward the Vale Mountains. It was manned by a squad of Army troopers, Sergeant Forge and Jack. Forge readied up his shotgun and the Army Troops held up MA40s and Mag Battle Rifles, smiles on their faces. This was gonna be a diplomatic mission to what was once Jack's tribe, but has since become a nomadic group of local warriors and defenders in the mountains. Apparently, they were terrific Horseback riders.

"So..." Forge looked to Jack, a hint of concern in his eyes "Why did you leave these guys and gals?"

"Riding horses really ain't my thing, Sarge." Jack noted, leaning back into the chair of the aircraft. "They fight and die on those horses if need be and they've been hounding local Grimm Hordes foolhardy enough to try and step through Vale's mountainside. I love my fellow tribesmen, but I'm not one to really enjoy the saddle all that much..." She grinned... Forge pursed his lips.

"Right." The Sergeant coughed. "What can you tell us? How do we tell who your people are?"

"Simple. They wear metal wings on their backs and steel plate armor, as well as rounded helmets with feathers on top..." The girl said with a wider grin, watching as the Sergeant's expression shifted to a hint of surprise. She continued "There's odd traditions everywhere. Ours is that, until you haven't gotten a feather from one of Vale's mountainside Aquila eagles, you aren't truly considered one of them."

"And you got yours, missus Ivory?" One of the Army Troopers was bold enough to ask. Jack pulled hers out of her pocket and showed it. A faint brown tracing up to the tip, which was pure white. The Army trooper gave a thumbs up... And the alarm blared. Foe Hammer looked back into the Blood Tray and yelled "We got Grimm attacking a nearby village! They're asking for help!"

Forge wanted to say something, but Jack told the pilot "Swivel around and keep us in the air... By my calculations, we're already in my people's migratory area..."

And she grinned, pointing down toward the back-end of the Valley. Below them, a horde of Grimm had gathered, ranging in shape and size, but apparently representing some of the younger Grimm in the Vale Area... In front of them, was a village, its automated defenses barely keeping pace with the charging animal monstrosities. And farther back, on a hillside leading up to the cliff face of one mountain... What seemed to be mounted Cavalry descended...

Eyes wide, Forge took out his binoculars and looked at them... Marching together in perfect sync down the hill, their long pikes raised up with small, red-white flags fluttering from the tips, Knight-like troops wearing Steel plating, with rounded Stahlhelms that had feathers, as well as masks on their faces and on their backs, steel 'wings' embedded with the same feathers...

A horn blew, loud enough that it could be heard throughout the valley... And one raised a Sword and pointed it forward. The Horse Cavalry surged down the hill, forming a wedge and pointing their lances forward. No battle cries, no screams, just a perfect, harmonious sound of hooves striking ground. The soldiery clashed with the monsters, their pikes taking two or three at a time onto them. The monsters dissolved as the lances broke and the soldiers pulled out sword and handgun and striking the Grimm down, not once slowing their advance.

They drove a wedge wide enough between the Grimm that their forces could now split up and envelop the creatures, pinning them against the walls of the valley with such ferocity, few Grimm escaped the onslaught. Blades flashed and guns thundered and Grimm died... By the time Jack had told Foe Hammer to land them into the village that was under attack, no Grimm remained. Only the horsemen of the Apocalypse over there.

Forge and Jack jumped off the bird first, with the Army troopers following in close behind. And as they approached the riders outside, Jack smiled. A young woman took her helmet off among them, revealing long, smooth blonde hair and blue eyes. She gazed over yonder to Jack and smiled too. Getting off her horse, the woman, clad in a more ornate armor set than the others, approached both the Sergeant and the girl and hugged Jack.

"Jacqueline..." She said. "A pleasure to see you again, sister."

"The pleasure's all mine, sis." Jack smirked. "Good to see the Hussars haven't lost their edge."

"We've been going through drills whenever we pack up and leave." The girl, presumably an Ivory too, spoke. She looked over to the Sergeant, then nodded "I presume you are the man sent forward by SWORD for their outreach program. Welcome. I'm Samantha Ivory. Sam for short." She smiled at him too. "A pleasure to see human trying to aid human every so often."

One of the soldiers approached them, then said "Ma'am... Should we set up our camp?"

Sam looked to her trooper and nodded "Yes. Prepare the guest tents as well." before she looked to Forge and Jack and said "You are welcome to stay with us for the duration of our talks. Make yourselves at home." and with that, she stepped off to help her people dismount and prepare. Forge took a moment to look around, then to Jack. He raised a brow... And she shrugged.

 ** _... Back at Beacon_**

Today was the day for the deployment. The FOB was less active than usual, but that was because the Marines and NOBLE Team were watching something they didn't know what to think of as it unfolded. Ahshi, the Spartan-III that was stereotypically Japanese, trained with her Katana. She'd found data on Kamae, or the Japanese Sword Combat Techniques utilized by the Samurai, stored within her personal computer.

To say she'd mastered them was overselling it, but... To say she was only _good_ at wielding her new blade? That was the understatement of the century...

The girl had reinforced the blade almost as soon as they came back home. And she'd emblazoned the side of its hilt with what she'd heard was the symbol of her old ancestor Daimyo Family in Japan. The Tokugawa symbol. The blade's one edge was sharp, now a shimmering scarlet color due to a slight dust infusion and was more detailed, with the hilt's pommel being a dragon with a red gem in its mouth. She moved fast and with an agility unmatched even by the greatest Samurai.

Carter and co regarded the Samurai Girl as she ran through the movements in her mind, then put them into practice. Her SPI suit made no noise, nor did her feet. Only the slashing of the blade and her breathing could be heard. She slashed, stabbed and cut the air fast enough for it to be hard to follow, lest you were a Spartan. Six, a grin on her face, said "Glad she enjoys her Katana."

"Surprised you girls spent your money on her..." Carter said, looking to Kat.

The Techie of team Noble shrugged "She's a fellow Beta." before looking to Six "This reminds me, Six... What did you do before you joined or were reassigned to us?"

"Thought you read my file." Alice quipped, watching the training Katana-wielder.

"Yeah, but I figure we may as well get it from the mouth of the hunter." Carter intervened. "I asked her to ask." The Noble Leader looked to Six. The woman snorted, then shook her head and answered him "I hunted about every kind of 'game' you can imagine. 'Game' being a term used by ONI for HVTs. Be it Insurrectionist, local rebels or a crime lord getting too rowdy for ONI's liking, I've shot them all."

"Huh." Carter hummed "Interesting."

"So you pretty much cleaned house, eh?" Jorge smirked.

"'s my job, yeah." Alice nodded, now twirling her knife between her fingers. "I also did the usual gun-running for local militias that were trying to combat Innies while the UNSC was too busy dealing with Covenant." And she winked over to Jun, who rolled his eyes and chuckled. Kat raised a bow, then tilted her head for Six to continue... The Spartan took the sign with a grin and spoke "So you know the famous 'Koko Hekmatyar', the weapons vendor that gave enough guns to the Outer Colony Militias to hold out on Cygnus for long enough that the UNSC arrived to help?"

"You don't mean..." Carter pursed his lips.

"She... Is yours truly." Alice stated proudly, leaning onto the bench they were seated on. "And whenever an Innie stole one of the guns I sent to the Militia, I'd have a tracker on it that lead me and ONI to whatever Innie Cell in-system, which I'd then proceed to wipe out with extreme prejudice." And she raised her hand to high-five. Emile high-fived her and gave a dark, but joyous chuckle. The man hated Innies more than he hated Covies, for some reason.

"Nice work, Six." Jorge hummed. "Or should we call you _Koko_?" and he raised his brows with a grin

"Please, don't..." Alice rolled her eyes, then chuckled as she looked to the big man. "Alice or Six is fine."

"Gotcha." Jorge gave her a nod, smiling... Six took a moment, then blushed and turned away and Kat noticed... What was with her friend all of the sudden...? She nudged Six's arm, then whispered "Ya okay, Alice?" to which the girl gave a hurried nod... Cute. Kat had figured something was going on between her and Jorge, but this was a bit too much.

"I'm just gonna head off. Later, guys." Six said, waving to them as she stepped off... Why'd she suddenly blush when looking at Jorge's... Smile and... UGH, STOP! She was a Spartan, not some schoolgirl... Though, technically, she was both. She walked into the dorms, with intent on finding someone to talk to that wasn't Spartans, before hearing a couple of barks as she passed by team RWBY's dorms... She stopped in her pace, then drew her sidearm and took a sidestep... The girls screamed and that was about enough for Six to kick the door down... Not hard enough to break it, but hard enough to open it...

Before she stopped as she saw a little black-and-white pupper with pearly black eyes staring at her... For the first time in their lives, the girls saw a Spartan freeze. Six stowed her pistol and stared at the creature before her with wide eyes. She took a knee, then leaned toward the little pupper. It stared her in the eyes, its tongue out as it happily panted along...

"... This is the cutest _fucking thing I've **ever seen.**_ " Six simply stated as she pet the little dog. She looked around to team RWBY and saw Yang covering Ruby's ears, before chuckling. The soft fur was amazing... "Where'd you girls get permission to own a house pet in Beacon's dorms?" before picking it up and handing it to Yang and Ruby. Yang chuckled and nodded.

"Dad sent him to us..." The girl noted.

"How?" Six asked... And Yang pointed at a tube on the table... The mail? Six chuckled, in denial, then said "No, seriously, how?" and noticed Yang was serious... She pursed her lips, then said "I'm just... Gonna leave..." before stepping out of the room and bidding goodbye. She marched back to BEACON FOB, knowing full-well they were gonna deploy soon...

NOBLE Team rallied with BLUE after a short trip to the FOB's med wing to check on Daisy and Cal. Within hours, The Pelican and Bullhead carrying the teams were mobilized and dashing at best speed toward Mt. Glenn. The flight was quiet as the Spartans readied gear. Halsey said they'd be entering a Communication Deadzone and thus, not to expect backup until the week of the mission was over... They wouldn't need it. Almost a dozen Spartans plus Huntresses and their teacher.

As the bird touched down and the Spartans disembarked, NOBLE Team took point, forming a perimeter around the landing area and watching Motion Trackers for Grimm. John, BLUE, RED and Cortana followed suit, guarding Doc Halsey herself. They scanned their surroundings, looking at decrepit ruins and destroyed buildings with no doors, windows or anything. The roads were cracked and broken... It was a right mess.

"What's our objective?" Six asked, scanning the rooftops out of habit.

"Our objective, Noble?" Halsey said, stepping up beside her. "Our objective is to find what has been sending those signals and dig them out. Hopefully alive." She noted, then watched as Team RWBY's bullhead swung about and touched down, deploying the girls and their teacher... A green-haired man with foggy glasses and wearing explorator's clothing.

"And that must be mister Oobleck..." Halsey hummed, approaching team RWBY under escort of the Spartans. Chief showed BLUE To scatter, with Kelly and Linda going together while he and Fred kept Halsey company. She smiled and extended her hand to Doc Oobleck and said "Greetings. I'm Doctor-"

"Catherine Halsey, yes! Professor Ozpin was kind enough to tell me about you, ma'am!" The Professor spoke quite rapidly... And Halsey knew she made a mistake... Fred and Chief exchanged glances, then shrugged at each-other, before the Chief looked to Six, who shrugged as well, trying not to laugh. The other IIIs were stifling laughs as well, holding their perimeter positions. Oobleck continued "It is quite a pleasure to meet someone as educated as yourself, good doctor. I do believe we'll get along swimmingly!"

"... I..." Halsey took a moment.

"It's okay, Doc..." Yang simply nodded. "He's drinking a pretty strong brew."

Ruby and the others, save for Weiss, snorted...

"Doctor. I and NOBLE will proceed and scout ahead with BLUE Team's second half." Carter said, looking to Halsey... She gave a nod and Carter gave the signal... Noble Team burst into an all-out sprint, weapons close and hauling ass as fast as they could. Even Chief was impressed when he saw the Spartans deploy at such speed, forming a clean perimeter that allowed them to sweep every avenue of approach. The two aircraft waved off back to Beacon and left the team, with all supplies available, there...

John nodded to Fred and waved him forward to grab Oobleck, allowing team RWBY to explore freely around the place with the Doctor. The woman was thankful for the quiet as she and the trio of girls walked down the desolate, destroyed streets of Vale's first and last attempt at expansion. Mt. Glenn was a disheartening reminder to Halsey. Of how easily disaster could strike... And of how easily the Covenant could've wiped them out as well...

Ruby, noticing the more solemn look in Halsey's eyes, asked "Doc? Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Halsey raised a brow. "Oh... Yes. I'm okay."

"Memories from your war, ma'am?" Weiss asked...

... She'd hit it dead center. Halsey gave a simple nod. "Desolate cities have much become the norm on several of our colonies. It's... Disheartening, to say the least, that even here, it can happen." And she then realized that, with the Grimm's endless numbers, this must've happened several hundred times across Remnant, at the very least. And that Mt. Glenn was one of the many settlements that were wiped while trying to expand.

"It sadly can." Yang hummed, looking about "Nobody really ever could tell what happened here." She noted.

"Oh?" The woman raised a brow, then looked over to a large, half-collapsed Skyscraper in the center of town. It had a stylized logo, similar to that of a Benzene Ring or cyclic chemical compound with three protrusions on the top, first right and third left corners. A stylized 'M' resided in the middle... She hummed, then looked to Yang and asked "Any speculations? Theories?"

Yang shrugged "Some say that the defense systems were poorly set up around the place... Others, that the Grimm came in too large a number for even the systems to hold the Grimm off. Others? They say some crazed madman had to do with the Grimm pouring into the place and the city's subsequent Fall." She looked about at the collapsed buildings... "All I gotta say is, if the someone who is at fault for the fall of Mt. Glenn and what happened here is still alive, I'd bet they don't wanna show their faces around."

The woman nodded to Yang, then took out her Scroll and took a photo of the Logo. She slid the scroll back into her pocket... Then could swear she heard a familiar skittering noise. She gasped, her eyes wide with fear as she scanned the rooftops... Not here. They couldn't have been anywhere _near_ here. She swallowed, then said "Let's proceed..." Before taking out her tablet and scanning for the pinging... Strange. It said they were right where they needed to be...

" _Doctor. We've got Motion Tracker blips. A lot of them. Unknown elevation."_ John's voice came over the short-range com bead.

" _Thermal's flaring a bit too... Wait, it's gone."_ Linda noted with a thoughtful hum. " _Suggest you set up camp. Night's coming."_

"Roger that, Spartans. We'll prepare camp." Halsey said, then showed team RWBY to come with. She looked over her glasses to see Jun having also set up a sniper's perch atop a building, with Emile serving as spotter. The rest of NOBLE was scouring around Mountain Glenn for any traces of the signal and Halsey had a clear view of them as they entered a ruined residential block. They watched as Doctor Oobleck, Chief and Fred came into view.

As the Doctor/teacher and his escort came inside, Halsey took to stopping the man while the Spartans joined team RWBY and sat around a makeshift fire pit. Chief looked over to Halsey and Oobleck as Halsey showed them an the strange M... He seemed surprised at the Logo, then turned to her and spoke "You've never heard of Merlot Industries?"

"... No? Should I have?" Halsey's brow quirked up.

"It's... A long story, Doctor." Oobleck took a slower approach, taking a seat.

... A Bark took everyone's attention toward Ruby... Who chuckled awkwardly as a little dog appeared from her bag... Halsey pursed her lips, then walked toward the little creature, much to everyone's chagrin and picked it up. She held it up to her face and looked it in the eyes, thinking of what kind of insane cuteness she was looking at... Before the Dog licked her face. She squinted at it as it panted happily, then hugged it and sat down, petting it. "What's his name?" She asked Ruby...

"Uhm...?" Ruby's brow quirked up.

"You heard me, miss Rose... What's his name?" The woman spoke sternly...

"Zwei... He's our family dog..." Yang said with a hint of shock, looking at the Doc... Halsey began petting it, before she spoke "Why've you been hiding this from us? You've got no right to hide it from us..." And she hugged Zwei closer as it happily barked, nuzzling her face into his back fur. All-in-all a cute sight, for a woman who's basically Doctor Frankenstein.

John took off his helmet and looked to Fred, his gaze full of concern... Lips pursed, Fred took his helmet off too. And they tried to stifle a laugh while looking away...

 ** _Meanwhile... On a deserted island in the gulf of Vale..._**

Machinery whirred underground and robots of varying sizes and activity marched down predetermined patrol paths in the large, semi-metallic corridors of the Laboratory. A lone man moved past the armed machines that were the Patrol Droids, deeper into the metal cage that was the massive underground complex. He was dragging with him two bodies clad in armor, with wide golden visors. He dragged them by the legs and had had them bound with some sort of reinforced cuffs...

"Ungh... What the hell...?" One of the two, a female, spoke, looking around as she woke up. "What... Happened...?"

"You two fell right into my trap is what..." The voice, rough as sandpaper, spoke to them as he dragged them along... The Trooper, a Spartan-III clad in SPI armor, looked at the... _thing_ carrying them and saw it was partly human... His veins pulsed a sickly orange with hints of blue and his skin was pale. One of his limbs was malformed and had seemingly been operated on, as it had scars. He had jet-black hair and, on his neck, was a microchip with a chemical symbol that had an M in its center.

"... What the fuck are you...?" The Female S-III, whose tags read 'Rene-A087', half-whispered as she looked at the hulking monster before them, without noticing the Patrol Droids doing their runs past them... She looked over out of the window in the hall and saw an assembly line putting these bots together. She swallowed, then looked up as they passed a red sign with white writing... 'Genetics Laboratory'. It had an arrow pointing forward.

"Me?" The creature spoke again... "I'm just like you two... A Spartan..."

"What...?" The girl felt a chill shoot up her spine as she looked at him and saw a UNSC Tattoo fading out on his left bicep... Her Helmet's HUD read out the bar code and saw the name 'Soren-066' appear... This guy was a Spartan-II... Or what she assumed to be one. "... You're one of those Washouts Commander Ambrose told us about..." She spoke. "What're you doing to us, Soren? We're on the same team..."

"I'm just dragging you kids along... And you're right... We'll _soon_ be on the same team." He chuckled darkly.

The III began to struggle to get out of her binds, but found herself barely able to even dent them. She swore under her breath, then looked to and elbowed her sleeping comrade. "Anton... Anton, wake up!" She whispered "We're in trouble, I feel!" and her Spartan comrade groaned, before his eyes burst open at feeling his binds. He looked over to Rene and whispered "What the fuck just happened, Rene?"

"We got captured by big burly motherfucker here... I think he's a Rogue Sierra Washout..."

"Shit..." Anton murmured. "A II?" He asked.

"Yep. Soren-066 is his tag." Rene said. "These binds are tough as nails... Got a plan?"

"... Give me a sec..." The boy whispered, trying to come up with a plan on the spot as he looked around... Upon entering a circular door that slid open... Any semblance of a plan or hope vanished for both Anton and Rene. The dread that overtook them was making everything in their heads malfunction as they saw them. Dozens of stasis tanks with Spartans inside, their skin so bone-white it almost felt like they were dead... But they weren't. The soldiers... Their fellow troopers... Squirmed inside a yellow goop, their irises red, the rest of the eyes black... Their hair was a sickly grey and their bodies seemed to contort and move suddenly... Some shifted to normal skin and eye colors... Then back to the white and red... And back to normal skin...

It was spine-chilling...

"Ah! Soren! Greetings, my good boy." Another male voice, one like poisoned velvet cake, spoke from a nearby operating table... The Spartans shifted their sight from the horrifying Tanks to the man behind them... A doctor in full medical garb, save for the mask, sat beside the table on which one of their comrades sat... Opened up... A canister beside him held black ooze and another... Held a small, skittering balloon of sickly yellowish color. It was like a fungus that sprouted legs...

"Doctor." Nodded the Spartan, tossing the duet of soon-to-be-labrats forward. "I brought two more..."

"As can be seen." The Doctor chuckled darkly... One of his eyes was scarlet and veins pulsed around it. It looked... Wrong... Just like his gaunt form looked wrong on oh-so-many levels.. Approaching the two bound Spartans that now lay on the floor of his Operating Room/lab, which was littered with technology and consoles... He knelt beside them, taking off their helmets... Rene was a beautiful young girl, with deep teal eyes thanks to the augs and with short, ginger hair. Anton was a young, but buff-looking boy with black hair and blue eyes... Both had scars from combat on their faces...

"My, my, hello there." The man said with an air of smugness that... Felt backed up enough. "Your names are interesting. Rene and Anton, is it?" He spoke as he took their tags into his gloved hands...

Rene growled "What the fuck did you do to our friends?!" And the Doctor looked over to the holding tanks, before chuckling and saying "Oh, my dear, I just improved them a bit. Their genetic modifications were endearing to say the least, but they seemed too few for their intended purpose as soldiers... I added what I thought would best fit them. Don't worry... You'll follow them."

Anton looked on, horrified, then turned to Soren and saw him... A young man with the same mods as his friends... His skin and veins shifted from normal to fucking cursed... Oh, no... He looked over to the Doctor and asked "Who are you, you crazy bastard!?" glaring at the man. The Doctor snorted, then stood up and neatly arranged his labcoat on his personage before saying "My name, Warrant Officer Anton-A020, is Doctor Merlot, of Merlot industries... And you are mine, now... Like your friends."

"Go fuck yourself, you raving lunatic!" Rene struggled, trying to get out of her bindings again, but to no effect... She froze as she saw something... Of an iridescent green skitter down from the walls, its shining eyes staring at her with hunger as its talon-like mouth clicked, black drool dotting its path as its eight, bone-plated legs skittered across toward the Doctor, before leaning its plated, eight-eyed head for the Doctor to pet it. Rene trembled as she asked "W-What the fuck is that?!"

"Now, now... Rene... That is no way to talk to your host." Merlot chuckled. "Though I must admit, just like my employer... I love feisty ones... It's the most fun to see them break..."

"Stay away from her, you bastard! I'll gut you where you fucking stand!" Anton snapped, his eyes glaring death toward the Doctor. The man chuckled, before leaning toward Rene and cupping her chin in-between his fingers as he said "Did you hear that, Rene? Your comrade's being a brave boy..." and he reeled back as he got a mouthful of spit shot into his left eye from the girl. He growled, then ordered "Soren... Get the little bitch on the table next to their friend... And make sure she and Anton have a full view of what I'm gonna do to them..."

"Yes, sir, Doctor Merlot." The Spartan said, picking up the girl and throwing her over his shoulder, despite her protests, before throwing her down on a free operating table and binding her hands to it. She watched as the Spider monstrosity skittered next to her and noticed bulbs of yellowish color on its chitinous body... Sacks of pus attached to its lower abdomen... She then looked to Merlot and the Spartan soldier, whose chest was open, on the table... Her name tag, hanging loosely off her neck, read Sloane-A140... No...

"Sloane, NO!" The girl screamed. "YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" She yelled to Merlot, gritting her teeth.

Merlot gave the girl a deranged, toothy grin as he stroked his beard, before saying "Dear, just be quiet... It'll be over in a second." and leaning to continue the operation... Rene had to force herself to close her eyes as not to watch her comrade being slaughtered and... Modified... As she sat there, bound to her table. And as the sickly noises of blade cutting flesh died out and a tank was shut, Rene heard Merlot say to Soren "Take off her armor... And keep Anton's eyes on the Table..."

"Sir." Soren gave a nod...

... Rene was a damn trooper... She didn't scream once, even though Anton could hear whimpering as Merlot's blades cut into her stomach and chest without any sort of anesthetics. But the boy could hear whimpers from the girl and that _hurt enough_... She didn't see what Merlot had done to Sloane. He did. And he dreaded it happening to her. Yet even as the black essence was pumped via IV into her arm, her skin turning paler and paler... And as the monstrous fungoid creature was put onto her chest, linking with her nervous system... Anton heard nothing from the girl... Just a croak... The Doctor removed the creature from her chest and patched her up, before putting her into a Holding Tank and ordering a bot to it. He took off his gloves, then stomped on the drained fungus, splattering its pus across the floor and walked to Anton, kneeling on front of him with a deranged grin...

"Your comrade didn't scream, Anton. Let's see if you have that same conviction as her... If you do and if you survive the procedure, like she did... Shadow Doctrine may have a place for you in the ranks of its army yet..." He spoke to the boy, then began to laugh... A long, dark laugh that reverberated across the halls of the Lab... The boy, though paler now, gritted his teeth and asked "What the fuck was that thing?" He tilted his head toward the squashed bug...

"That, dear Anton?" The man's wry grin widened as he whispered "Those who bestowed this knowledge to me and my kin called them _The Flood..._ I call them _Salvation..."_ before showing Soren to pick the boy up as he explained "You see? I discovered their properties of rewriting the Nervous System of whatever they touch to be quite... Endearing. And I was surprised to find out that:One, they're obedient to me... Two:how well they work on Grimm... And Three:how they make them obedient. So, I put two and two together..."

"... You're using these fucking things to rewrite our thoughts... And make us fight _for_ you..." Anton spat to the side "I'd rather fuckin' die..."

"Oh, that _can_ happen, my boy." Merlot reassured. "But... Don't worry... It _will_ be painful. _Very_ painful... I should know... I have one Flood spore within me. The Whispers call me their new Gravemind... The Grimm call me their new master... Eitherway... Like me, they'll serve the Doctrine in the coming war... Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum." He chuckled darkly, before turning to start his work on Anton...

... He died, writhing in pain, on that Operating Table... But didn't scream once...


	33. Fight like Hell

**_Mt. Glenn. Eastern Quadrant. Early morning_**

The sun lazily rose over the mountains... Marching on into the city itself, toward its eastern outskirts, NOBLE Team maintained a steady pace, sticking together and scanning the walls and windows of all buildings as not to be outflanked by any Grimm. The latest engagements with Grimm had been a pack of Beowolves, but right now, they were looking for three things:Access to what was transmitting the Beacon powerful enough to break through the Dead Zone, the cause of the Dead Zone itself and to find any remaining White Fang personnel.

For the time being, Noble was slowly making their way into the city itself. Their MTs detected movement... Carter raised a balled fist to order a hold. He took a knee, then motioned Kat to take to his side. The girl skittered close, Datapad in her hand, then pointed down. Carter nodded. Six gazed back to Jorge, who gave her a nod, before pointing to BLUE and RED advancing next to team RWBY, Cortana and the two Doctors in a crouch.

Ruby stepped up beside Six and the Noble girl gave her a wink, before looking back to everyone and pointing downward. She shrugged as she saw Oobleck point down too, then smile. The man showed everyone to gather around him. And they did, maintaining the perimeter... The good Doctor began to speak "I think we may have found the catacombs underneath Mt. Glenn. If the White Fang, or what we're looking for, is anywhere, it'd be down there."

"Doc's right... The place also served as a last-ditch settlement and the Railway from Glenn to inner Vale... Before the tunnels were shut." Cortana said, holding close a pair of Magnetic Magnum handguns.

"So our best bet to find what we're looking for is going down." John hummed.

"Good thing we brought Demo Charges..." Red Team Alice chuckled, twirling about a C4 Plastic Explosive charge. "Everyone, step back." And she placed the bomb down. They moved away to a safe distance and Alice took out her detonator, spinning it around the fingers and gave Six a nod... The Noble Girl prepared herself to jump in. And the explosion that collapsed the roadway came...

Six jumped in first, followed by the rest of NOBLE, BLUE, RED, RWBY, Cortana and, finally, the two Doctors. The drop was long, but thankfully, they had what to hang on to. Enough so that when they touched down, they were at the bottom of a very large cavern, with buildings and collapsed floors inside. The Spartans helped the others descend, with NOBLE Team once again taking point and scanning the surrounding walls...

"Area clear." Six stated from her position. "Though MT's kicking up hard and I'm seeing a lot of unknowns in vicinity. Watch your sectors."

"Copy." The Spartans said as they mobilized to form up with NOBLE.

Ruby looked at the professionalism with which the teams moved and whistled. "Wish we could move like them."

"Oh, come off it, Rubes. We move just fine." Yang patted her sister on the head, a grin on her face. "Right, girls?" She looked to Weiss and Blake for confirmation. Weiss took a moment as she stepped up next to the Spartans, drawing Myrtenaster and looking about at the caves... She noticed something up ahead... Made of metal and rounded, then pointed "There!"

"Weiss?" Yang raised a brow. She looked to Blake "Blakey, c'mon."

"I'm with Ruby... We do need to coordinate better, Yang." The girl shrugged, approaching the Spartans too. Yang rolled her eyes, then said "Alright" before grabbing Ruby and joining the Spartans too... Linda scoped in the piece of Metal Weiss had spotted and nodded. She gave a thumbs up to Halsey, who stepped up, took a binocular out and looked toward it...

"Confirming. Sublight propulsion engine... Orphios Energy Systems Jupiter-1 engines." Halsey lowered her binoculars, shock strewn across her face. She looked about, to see some of the cave's walls also had bits of metal embedded into them, then said "I think... And do hope I'm right... But this is a ship... One of ours... A UNSC ship, crashed into the mountainside..."

"Extensive damage to aft propulsion confirmed..." Cortana said upon scanning the ship... She gasped "Ma'am... Confirmation for UNSC Ship classification CFV, hull number 88... Designation..." She looked to Red Team, a smile on her face " _Spirit of Fire._ Can confirm she's crashed here... Hard and, from preliminary scans, it shows that it's at 45% hull integrity, but three of the main Cargo Bays, all hangars and one-third of the Heron-class D20 Heavy Lift Ships are active. Sensors and lower observation deck are damaged, but repairable, if we can get to them. Engines are... Well, for lack of a better term, dead and gone, since I detect no Impulse available for them. Short-Range Sensor suite is active, as is Comms and jamming... She's the cause of the Dead Zone."

"Can you patch us through to Flight Deck?" Halsey asked.

"Negative, ma'am. I'm trying a Handshake protocol with the AI aboard. How long d'ya reckon the ship's been under, ma'am?" Cortana asked.

"Long enough, if the mountains grew around her." John stated in answer, instead of Halsey... He showed everyone to be quiet. And the Spartans tensed... They raised rifles to greet the oncoming attackers. And as the first WF member appeared, the first burst of Battle Rifle fire greeted the bastard. Three mag rounds in the head sent him toppling to the floor as the Spartans scattered and engaged in fireteams of 3, under gaze of team RWBY...

Blake watched as Sam fired his AR with extreme prejudice and no forgiveness at the foe. The girls joined them, trying to go for disabling shots instead of outright kills, but the catgirl got to see firsthand what the troops of the SWORD could do. Engaging at close range, the girls saw that a train resided on tracks below... It was being loaded... And he was there...

A red-haired man in a suit looked up, eyes wide, as he saw the Spartans quickly advance downhill toward him. He swore, then said "EVERYONE ABOARD! WE'RE MOVING NOW!" just as a Sniper round punched past his ear and slammed into the head of one White Fang member, splattering his brains... All of them... On the train's side... It was time to retreat. Thus, jumping inside, the man readied his cane...

Ruby looked to John and said "We have to get aboard that train!"

"We're with you! NOBLE, you are to escort Doctor Halsey to the Spirit of Fire with RED. BLUE and RWBY will handle the Train." Chief ordered and received Green Lights from the Spartans as they moved, taking Doc Halsey along into the crash-landed Warship. The Spartans jumped onto the rearmost cart as the vehicle began to move, readying rifles and following team RWBY in.

Ruby looked to Chief and asked, as the train cart's door shut behind them "Do you guys think that your boys and girls aboard that ship are alive?"

"I've got no doubt." John hummed. "Mind if I take command of your team for a while, Ruby?"

The girl smiled "Sure, but ya owe me double."

"Deal. Belladonna, Sam, take point. Xiao-Long and Kelly, together. Rose and Linda, you're our long range. Schnee and Fred? With me." John ordered, grinning behind his helmet as he switched the weapon to its gravity bludgeon form. Kelly racked her shotgun, then looked to Yang and said "Good to have ya with me, Yang." receiving a toothy grin from the blonde.

"Likewise, Kells. Let's fuck'em up." Yang cracked her knuckles.

"Swear jar, Yang." Ruby chuckled.

"Later, Rubes." The girl returned, chuckling too. Blake nodded to Sam, who nodded back and readied his rifle... The black-haired Faunus beauty smiled as the two went to the door. Weiss joined up with Fred and the two gave each-other respectful, curt nods, while Ruby and Linda took together, readying their snipers to engage. As the team readied up, John looked to everyone and gave the signal. Execute...

Sam kicked in the door and Blake followed in behind him, watching as the steel plate flew through the air and struck a poor White Fang bastard. The Spartan's assault rifle burst. The gunfire echoed across the hull of the car. Grenades were flung toward a squad that came through the door to the third car and White Fang fell. Team RWBY tried to avoid looking directly at the bloody murder ongoing in front of them.

"Keep up the pace... Huh?" Kelly said, stopping as she noticed a dust canister that was... Bigger than the others. And had timers... "Shit, they rigged this thing to blow!"

John hummed "Well, time to double-time it..." And he waved forward the assault squad. A unit of more heavily-armed White Fang troopers, meaning Anti-Materiel rifles and high-caliber ARs, managed to join up and enter the second Cart to reinforce the others. The roar of the AM rifles was enough to actually make the Spartans take cover. The Staccato return fire was still a bit overwhelming, as more Fang members were cut down...

Blake surged forward and knocked several of them out, dancing around the hail of bullets from both sides and moving as precisely as you'd expect the Ninja to. Sam joined her up in the assault, breaking teeth and bones with his fists and the butt of his weapon. Yang also jumped at the chance to help her partner, kicking down a White Fang member, elbowing another and concussing a third with Ember Celica's blast.

Ruby joined up, using Crescent Rose's Recoil to propel herself forward and drop-kicking a White Fang member right in the face. Following her in, Weiss brought in a wave of ice that froze the weapons of some of the White Fang members. The quartet of girls swept the area ahead with extreme prejudice, while their partners took a backseat, eliminating whatever they left behind with a well-aimed shot.

Yang grinned as she dodged a slash from a sword, then propelled herself forward using Ember Celica's concussive rounds, headbutting the man who tried to stab her, before spinning about and quickly delivering an augmented punch right into his chin, but not before winking at him. The punch sent the man flying through a topside hatch and out of the train.

"Yang! Left!" Ruby yelled as she spun about and delivered a kick right into the man's side. Yang noticed the trooper holding the MG in his hand, miliseconds before she brought her fist toward his face. The punch and kick sent the man on a counterclockwise spin as the two sisters nodded at each-other, smiling. Ruby chuckled as she saw Yang holding more of a grin than a smile, then said "Alright, alright, we coordinate fine, sis."

"Yep! Now, c'mon! We got more butt to kick!" Yang waved her sis and friends forward.

The Spartans advanced beside them, with John praising "Nicely done, girls." As he scoped in the area ahead. The team found themselves in the need to halt as they saw a young woman with the color scheme of... Neapolitan Ice Cream? The f... Kelly's gaze shifted toward Yang as the girl clenched her fists, then she said to John "Chief. Leave Yang and me to handle this one. Go find the Redhead and stop this damn train."

"Roger that." John gave a nod. He and the rest of the team moved off ahead past the Ice Cream girl... Kelly looked over to Yang...

"You know her?" She asked.

"A tiny bit." The blonde cracked her knuckles.

"... Odds of beating her?" Kelly questioned again, shouldering the Shotgun. Yang chuckled as she took her stance.

"With you here? Higher than before..."

Kelly needed to remind herself to ask team RWBY about what they'd been doing in town during the raid... Cal had found them after detaching from Forge's unit, but didn't speak much about the events...

 ** _FLASHBACK:OPERATION WARPATH_**

 ** _Vale. Local warehouses..._**

Cal and a pair of Rangers watched with wide eyes as a massive Mechanized Unit charged after Blake Belladonna and a blonde-haired Faunus. The woman stood up as the armored vehicle charged after them, then she looked to the Rangers and ordered them "Call evac and head home..." before readying herself to jump "I got them covered." and with that, she pounced off the rooftop, breaking into an all-out sprint to chase the Mech...

She used her helmet's in-built comm system to link with team RWBY's communication device, then said "Blake, what the hell are you girls doing out in town?" making the black-haired girl look back behind the Mech. She gasped as she saw Cal keeping up with them, then spoke " _We've been conducting our own investigation!"_ with worry in her voice... Huh.

Cal drew her Mag Rifle and aimed it at the Mech. She emptied the magazine into its side as she ran to join up the two Faunus ahead. She looked to the blonde-haired Monkey Faunus beside Blake and said "Well, you're a first." before swiveling about and firing again into the Mech. Bullets punched through parts of the armor, but Cal couldn't get an accurate shot...

As they ran, the group hit the Vale Highways and dashed into traffic, hoping that the tank would stop or stumble over the vehicles. But no luck. The damn thing moved through the Civilian vehicles and pushed them aside with little regard... Cal realized she needed to halt as not to hurt more Civilians... So that's what she did. Swiveling about, the woman emptied her Assault Rifle again, aiming for the center cabin of the vehicle, but found no purchase as the bullets didn't properly hit.

The Mech tried rushing past her, but she halted it with a punch to the leg, sending it tumbling back. A Plasma round struck its back too and the girl held back the urge to draw her handgun and shoot whoever that was. Upon seeing Yang and a blue-haired boy joining up with them, the woman said "We need to get this thing away from the Road. Too many civilians getting hurt."

"Gotcha... Weiss!" Yang called in...

As the Mech charged again, Weiss dropped in front of them, activating her glyphs and icing up the road enough so that the Mech tumbled over the edge and onto the ground below the bridges of the Highways. Cal followed it down, as did the rest of the team. The five girls readied weapons as they saw the Mech trying to get up... Cal growled, then said "This guy just won't stay down."

"Got a plan?" Yang asked the girl as Ruby joined up.

"For now... Ruby?" Cal gazed over toward the girl "I'll have a talk with you about why you're out so late... For now, let's deal with big boy." before raising her rifle. Ruby nodded, then called out "Yang, Weiss! Freezerburn!" and watched as the two girls mobilized. Yang surged forward and jumped using Ember Celica's concussive force, while Weiss deployed a wave of ice below their feet. Yang proceeded, with all her might and a fiery fist, to pound down onto the ground, kicking up a wave of Mist. Cal's visor polarized...

"I'll take to distracting it! You girls, do your thing!" Cal gave a nod, before rushing forward and punching the Mech again, making it stagger. She heard Ruby yell "Checkmate!" as the Mech launched missiles. She saw Blake, utilizing... Time magic? to cut apart several missiles flying midair. The detonation boomed overhead, but Cal was easy on her feet... She parried a punch from the Mech, stopping it as the ground behind her cracked due to the impact...

Then she watched Yang come in as Ruby once again called in "Bumblebee!" allowing Blake and Yang to move in. Cal cocked back her fist and, with enough force, managed to punch off the mech's left arm. Yang dealt with the right, by kicking it and the two girls proceeded to utilize Blake's really hardy bow to tie a knot around the damn thing's leg, sending it collapsing to the floor.

Cal jumped on top, drew her AR and started laying into its back armor, which was thinner. The mech's engine started to smoke, but the Spartan found herself slapped off by the left hand of the Mech. She slammed into a support pillar, before Yang received a similar fate... The Mech stood up, cocked its fist back and punched Yang clean through the pillar she was pinned against.

... Big mistake... As Yang got up... She stopped a second punch from the damn thing... Her hair shined a golden color and her eyes burned scarlet. Cocking her fist back, under Cal's surprised gaze, the girl punched clean through the Mech, shattering it into a thousand little pieces and sending the Pilot skidding to the floor... The Spartan dashed toward the man, one clad in a white suit, black pants and a bowler hat. He had ginger hair and... Wore fucking Mascara? Cal snorted as she pointed her rifle at him, then quipped "'Sup, ladyboy?"

"... Oh, ha, ha..." He rolled his eyes "So you're one of the freaks fucking the White Fang over?'

"We're famous?" Cal quipped, a hint angry as she racked the bolt of her AR. "Flattering."

"Yeah... Very... Well, if you'll excuse me, my ride's here..." he smirked. Cal wanted to say something else, but felt herself get drop-kicked. She looked at the little thing that tried to do that and grabbed her by the throat. The little ice cream lady fucked up. Or so Cal would've said if she _didn't get blown halfway to kingdom come..._ The Spartan landed on her back and watched as the duet of Bowler Hat and Parasol Ice Cream got away...

"So..." Ruby said from beside Cal as the woman got up... "Still gonna ask what we were doing?"

"... Later, I guess..."


	34. The Breach

**_Aboard the_** **Spirit of Fire.**

... It was almost breathtaking...

Most of the old UNSC Technology aboard the ship remained relatively intact. The Corridors had live electrical wires sparking onto the floor, however. Severed wires. There was minor denting and rusting across the walls, cobwebs and dust and even missing pieces of grating. The ship in itself was intact to a respectable degree, though Halsey knew very well she wouldn't fly again. Not without a CRADLE Ship repairing every inch of it.

Six took point, AR at the ready and flashlight on. Following her was Kat and, in the middle, Halsey and Cortana, with Carter taking up fourth, Emile fifth, Jun sixth and Jorge covering the rear approach. The girl raised a balled fist, showing them to halt. With loud clicks, multiple lights flickered on ahead. Six took a knee, shouldering her rifle, then showed everyone to scatter into cover.

"Incoming... Motion Tracker detects UNSC IFFs." Six told everyone. They lowered their weapons.

One of the Bulkheads ahead cracked open as its side console flickered. It slid apart and a squad of 12 Marines raised Battle Rifles, MA5s and even a rocket launcher toward them. The Squad Lead showed them to hold their fire, before standing up and nodding the Spartan Fireteam forward. The six Spartans, Cortana and their Doctor walked forward, weapons lowered or slung on their backs...

"Holy shit, sir... Spartans." A female Marine spoke, leaning her rifle on her shoulder and cracking a grin.

"I see that, Trooper." The LT noted, lowering his rifle and standing up. He walked to the soldier with the highest rank, that being Carter, and saluted, before saying "Lieutenant Miller. UNSC _Spirit of Fire'_ s Marine contingent. Good to see friendly faces around, Commander." before looking at the rest of the Spartan team and asking "Say... You guys and gals haven't seen Red Team, have you?"

"They're with us, Lieutenant." Carter noted. "Currently working with Blue Team on an issue... Can we get to the bridge?"

"We've got some info your Captain may want." Cortana spoke, crossing her arms. The Marines gave a nod and showed them to follow. The team wanted to stop and stare as more Marines and the crew itself started marching on-deck, moving out for repairs and to check up on the status of the ship itself. They'd walked in through a maintenance corridor. And now that activity started to resume aboard the ship, they could see the hallways were large enough for them all.

Cortana looked at Marines as they simply balked at them. As did Crew, in fact... Halsey hummed, awed by the sights herself, but not showing it... "I'd say around five thousand years... Cortana?"

"I agree." The girl hummed. "Though I did get a Handshake from the AI... Weirdly enough. And the ship still has plenty of power."

"Well... Are we gonna rule out these events as impossible, what with our own...?" Halsey shrugged. Cortana chuckled. Doc had a fair point in that. As they walked, the team found themselves entering areas under maintenance, but signs pointed this way to the bridge. As they walked into the bridge itself, they saw an old man clad in a Captain's uniform looking at a hologram table on which resided a blue woman in casual clothes and with long hair.

"... As far as data tells me, we've been crashed for at least ten millennia..." The AI spoke, watching her Captain's reactions of surprise and sorrow. "And yet, here we are. Young and beautiful as ever..." She gazed over to Cortana and saw them "Ah... The guests are here, Captain. I'll let you talk to them..." She smirked "And probably pester the good doctor some more. Good day." And with that, the AI flickered off.

Six hummed "... I like her."

The Captain swiveled about, revealing his age at around 40 or so years. Even though he probably should've been much older. "So, it looks as though we've found ourselves in a predicament." He noted, nodding to Doctor Halsey and the Spartan escort. "I'm Captain Cutter, UNSC _Spirit of Fire._ And... I do believe some explanations are in order. If you don't mind that."

"Not at all." Halsey nodded.

"Oh, no..." A woman's voice spoke... And Halsey swiveled about, a glare in her eyes that could kill tanks. A woman with Asian features stood before her, arms crossed. "Doctor Halsey..." The woman scowled... And Halsey sighed deeply. She'd heard that Ellen Anders had been sent over to the _Spirit._ Never did she think she'd meet her again. Six looked between the two Doctors, a hint confused, as did the other Spartans.

"You two have a history, Doctor?" The Captain asked, raising a brow.

"Yes." Both of them answered.

"Long story short, Captain, I taught miss Anders everything she knows." Halsey hummed.

"And then basically had me kidnapped by ONI." Anders shot back.

"'Hired', dear Ellen." Halsey quipped. "Gave you a job opportunity. You're welcome, by the way."

Anders rolled her eyes, then stepped onto the bridge and said "I only came here to get a datapad I've forgotten, sir..." to the Captain. She stepped off the bridge after picking up her files. Six found herself in the need to hold back a bout of laughter. She looked forward, toward the front of the bridge, to see rock... But it wasn't close to the windows. No, it was farther back...

"Seems the _Spirit_ hit a second set of caverns." Halsey observed.

"Upon our crash, yes. Serina says we crash-landed on a cliff and were unlucky enough for whatever happened to cover our entire ship." Cutter said, tapping a few commands onto the holodeck of the bridge, pulling up data. "Ten thousand years, Doctor. And we're all younger, our ship is powered and almost irreparably damaged. I want to ask you about how it happened."

"I have all my research files about the events that have brought us forth onto this planet, known simply as Remnant, on my tablet." Halsey raised her standard-issue UNSC appliance. "I can give it to your AI to analyze and determine if I've lied, even a bit... Cortana, if you don't mind, could you also help the Shipboard AI decipher the data?" to which Cortana smirked.

"Ma'am, I'm on it." the girl said, then walked and took a seat next to the holodeck and put her hand on it... Serina flashed up onto it and Cortana smirked "Hello there."

"Hello to you as well." Serina nodded. "Nice gynoid features."

"Thanks." The girl noted, kneeling in front. "Listen, Serina, right? We may need a lot of help within the coming few hours. How many Pelicans and vehicles do you still have? Dropships? Other assorted vehicles?"

"I've got 75% of all Vehicles active and ready to go. And the Foundries to build and maintain them." Serina said. "What's the big threat?"

... An hour later, all explanations had come to a close. With evidence presented and everyone aboard the ship brought up to speed thanks to the Captain's intervention, Halsey moved with the Spartans of NOBLE toward the Hangars, to see if they could find any sort of exit. Much to their joy, however, the UNSC Ground Teams and the SeaBees of the _Spirit of Fire_ had begun work on tunnels for launching aircraft and landing them. The top deck, untouched by rock, was soon to be freed up by a set of detonations. Despite the ship's extensive engine damage, the UNSC crews were preparing to bring her to light once more.

"Looks like the Sea Bees are going at it. Hard." Alice pointed from the hangar toward one of the many tunnels being dug and reinforced by the heavy machinery of the UNSC. Cyclops Combat/Construction Mechs moved in to help with the digging and the UNSC Ships were being armed and prepped... Jorge swiveled about as he heard the raucous roar of pilots and saw a massive aircraft hovering overhead, with two twin-linked gatling cannons on the front and an arseload of missiles as its spinal weapon. Following it were Hornet Scout Craft and what appeared to be the Hornets' more aerodynamic cousin. The Vulture, Hornet and Sparrowhawk flew together...

Pelicans were already being loaded up with UNSC Troops and tanks locked themselves into place. The larger Dropships were being loaded up with Warthogs and even more tanks... Every little vehicle of the 2530s UNSC Arsenal was being assembled for the upcoming issue. If Halsey's calculations were correct, Vale's underground tunnels would be the target for that train. And if the White Fang was smart, they'd have it manned and primed to blow...

"Looks like they're ready and waiting." Carter noted. "Ma'am, we'll take a Pelican to the City, ping others in Com and warn them about the attack if we can. If not, we'll be dropping first."

Halsey looked to the Spartans, then gave them nods "Take care of yourselves, Noble. I'll be going to assist in providing new equipment for the troopers here." and she saw at least 5 Vulture Gunships head out with an escort of 25 Hornets and around 10 Hawks. Halsey looked over to where the SeaBees and Cyclops were working and saw that they managed to break through... Thin walls of rock, eh? And the tunnels were just wide enough for the aircraft to head out...

" _This is Squadron Alpha-Eight to Spirit mission control. Requesting permission to begin ascent and deploy to target area, how copy, over?"_

 _"Copy you loud and clear, Alpha Eight. Green light. Give'em hell."_

... Well...

 ** _Back aboard the Train._**

Kelly dodged the blunt end of the parasol wielded by Neo with quite the ease. She grabbed the 'weapon' by the center, twisted Neo's hand with it and punched the girl away, but found no grip on the thing itself again as the girl staggered. Yang struck Neo from behind with a concussive blast from Ember Celica, sending the girl staggering... Kelly grinned, drawing her own Shotgun and shouldering it, before saying in a full-blown Scottish accent "Ya ain't got another foot to take, lass!" and taking a moment "Where'd that accent come from?"

She gasped as she dodged a stab from the rapier form of the weapon, before parrying another with the Shotgun and blasting the girl point-blank with magnetically-accelerated pellets. The girl growled as she moved back, then struck Yang over the head, making the girl double over. Kelly soon responded to the attacks with another round of pellets, slam-firing the Shotgun rapidly at the girl and forcing her to take 'cover' behind the Parasol.

Kelly, having run out of ammo, grabbed the Parasol before its blade extended, spun it and kicked Neo in the chest, with said ice cream queen flying into a wall of steel. Kelly helped Yang up and the blondie shook her head, then complimented "Nice shooting, Kells... Jeez, this girl hits like a train..." And she rearranged her jaw. It did still hurt, but at least now it was straight.

"Thanks, Yang." The girl nodded, reloading the Shotgun. Little two-face Ice Cream got up, glaring daggers at them, her eyes white as bone. She had the Parasol in hand again and readied it, its steel tip jutting out of the top like a spearhead. So, the blonde brawler cocked her shotgun gauntlets and readied them in readiness for battle.

Kelly drew her knife, then holstered her shotgun and said "Let's kick her ass..."

The two girls surged forward. Kelly took left and Yang took right, while Neo was unsure of who to strike first. Kelly bet on the fact that Neo would be too confused and gave a nod to Yang... The two girls cocked their fists back, with Kelly first feinting a stab toward Neo's gut that the girl barely had time to parry before the fastest Spartan delivered a jaw-breaking punch to Neo's face and Yang hit her clear in the back with a concussive blast.

To say that Kelly heard teeth shatter would be an understatement. Neo's Aura was weakened when the strike came, but still strong enough to dissipate _most_ damage. _Most_ of it. She did lose several teeth and her head was nearly caved in by the joint strike. In fact, Kelly was pretty sure Neo would be KO for now. She watched the girl fall to the floor and she gave a nod to Yang, before activating Com "Jerome. Can you send Red Alice back here to pick up a lil' POW?" and triggering a snicker from Yang.

"... _Did you really have to...?"_ Jerome sighed in exasperation over com " _She's on her way. Red Actual, out."_

Alice appeared, AR aimed up, then sighed "Did you seriously, Kelly...?"

"Hey, we have to Alices now. Not my fault." Kelly shrugged. "How're the others doing?"

"Belladonna and Sam just captured Torchwick... But we can't stop the train. And we've got a Grimm horde tailing us with big ones coming in fast..." Alice sighed, lowering her rifle as she grabbed Neo and cuffed the girl. Kelly shook her head, then said "We bracing for Impact, then?" to which the girl nodded. They rendezvoused back with team RWBY, RED and Blue and Chief looked around. He primed up a Hardlight Shield Grenade, then showed everyone to form up around him... As the vehicle fast-approached impact point, they braced.

"Hey, guys?" Yang looked to the Spartans as they cluttered around them and mr. Oobleck.

"Yes?" Kelly asked.

"Why are you-"

"Our armors can lock, providing extra layering between you and the outside... Once the impact comes and the shield goes, you'll be relying on us and Aura alone to survive the blast..." John said. "So, just hang on tight." before tightening his grip and locking the MJOLNIR set. The other Spartans did so too as the Hardlight 'Nade popped and powered up the bubble around them... And as the door to Vale itself came... The crash burst apart the doors and sent the people inside tumbling out... The Vale City Center was occupied. And as the first hordes of Grimm appeared, the Spartans unlocked armors and cocked weapons...

John was first out, his Rifle bursting through an Ursa Major at highest power setting. He tapped his com and said "BEACON FOB, this is Spartan-117, requesting immediate backup grounside. Watch your flight vectors and deploy at least one half click away from my current position. Grimm numbers are too high, over." Before he knelt and called out "SPARTANS! ENGAGE!"

The squadron jumped to their feet, weapons loaded and ready to kill. Fred's DMR barked, with Creeps and Wolves falling to direct, well-aimed Headshots. Kelly's own shotgun blasted apart a squad of harassing Creeps and then got shoved down the throat of an Ursa. She blasted its head open without a second thought, then swiveled about and punched one into a wall.

Linda's sniper barked from a distance, but that didn't mean she was afraid to get in close. Her twin pistols continuously barked, with no shots wasted by the professional Sniper. Following her in was team JNPR, now deployed via Bullhead into the square... Linda caught wind on Comms as another team, CFVY, Deployed... " _Chief, this is Johnson. We're coming in... And we've got a helluva lot of backup! Courtesy of Forge and Co, as well as Ironwood's men!"_

Team JPDE's other 3 teammates came aboard the first Pelican... The _First._ Of around 30...

30 Pelican Gunships' 30mm Guns spooled and belched fiery hot Uranium and Lead. A deafening cacophony that lasted for all of 3 seconds. The streets ahead, filled with Grimm, burned a bright scarlet as the high-caliber Armor Piercing Explosive Rounds punched through their horrid occupants, kicking up dust, debris and Grimm Essence from the vanishing monstrosities. Marines of the _Spirit of Fire_ rappelled and joined the teams on the ground and Hornets swept in, their 7,62 Guns screaming, lock-on rockets aimed for the Grimm Flyers.

Tracers streamed in and beams of Laser gutted an advancing herd of Grimm Ursae coming down main boulevard. Sparrowhawk Gunships flew in low and fast, their 7,62 Gatling Cannons crackling and their nose-mounted Laser Cannons glaring scarlet death at the enemy creatures. Atlas Military units deployed fast and joined up with the Marines of the UNSC and their assisting vehicles, just as Vulture Gunships, the massive air vehicles that they were, swept in with a short missile barrage...

"Good Gods..." Weiss' eyes went wide, looking above at the Gunships as their guns barked and barked again. Blake fell to her knees, with Sam tending to her... The Faunus Cat smiled as she saw the Reinforcements streaming in.

Ruby was inches short of nerding out at the sight of UNSC vehicles... What pushed her over and made her knock herself out screaming and cheering was two Pelicans deploying a pair of tanks with heavy armor and two cannons. Jerome grinned, leaning his rifle on his shoulder as he saw the Grizzly Main Battle Tanks of the Spirit moving in, with Forge's Marines following. Johnson, rifle leaning on his shoulder, smirked and said "Well, Chief. Looks like Backup's here." to John. The Chief gave a nod, taking his helmet off and revealing, for the first time in his life, a smile.

Vale Citizens regarded the Marines and greeted them with Cheers as they marched down the streets. Same happened with the Armored Vehicles and assault aircraft that now occupied Vale Airspace. The Hawks flew in low on a parade display as they cleared out the last of their Grimm with precision Laser shots. Marine Medics deployed to check on the Civilians...

"Woohoo!" Yang raised a fist into the sky "GIVE'EM HELL, BOYS!"

... And she noticed a pair of Female Marines, grinning at her...

"And girls!" Yang chuckled.

Atlas Bots and Army Troopers welcomed the Marines with handshakes and some Marines even hugged them. NOBLE Team had deployed too, to clear out another group of Grimm due east of the Square that the others were in. The girls and boys of teams RWBY and JNPR found themselves sitting down as Spartans hauled Neo and Torchwick aboard a UNSC Transport and took them to a FOB where they could be kept...

"Well... Today was eventful..." Yang mused, smirking.

"Tell us about it..." Jack said as she approached them. "You girls ready for Vytal?"

... oh... Right...

That...

* * *

 ** _AN:Sooo... I got an announcement to make, folks!_**

 ** _Come next chapter, this will be the end of Spartan Assault..._**

 ** _..._**

 ** _..._**

 ** _VOLUME 1! Hehe. Gotcha. Anyways, case in point, Chapter 35 should be the end of Volume 1 of this story, while I allow myself to figure out what else to do and where to go with Volume 2(RWBY's 3) and how to further change it up. Though, don't worry, Ch. 35 will be an absolute banger of a chapter. I've got special plans for ending Vol. 1 on a high note, so hang on to yer pants!_**

 ** _Well, 'till next time!_**


	35. VOLUME 1 END:Brothers In Arms Reunited

UNSC Marines and armored vehicles moved to aid in the expansion of the BEACON FOB. A flight of heavy transports, carrying modular outposts from aboard the _Spirit of Fire_ moved under escort to predetermined positions around Beacon itself, each a good few kilometers distance, near the outer defenses. The bases would be interlinked and working under SeaBee/Marine Management. The ship herself would remain manned by the Command Crew, as several smaller outposts, that would later be upgraded to Citadels, would surround and form a perimeter around her.

Within Beacon, the commotion was incredible. Marines and Army marched on patrol around the FOB as UNSC Pelicans swung in overhead, delivering supplies and ammunition. A small factory had been set up beneath the base itself and its walls were now permanently manned by UNSC Marines with the new magnetic weapons, provided by Doctor Halsey and Ruby Rose.

Hawks flew patrols in unison with Hornets and the Atlas Gunships and Air Battleships. The former were simply known as the Mako-Class transport and support airships. They struggled to keep pace with the UNSC's own arsenal of aircraft and vehicles, though and a FOB ATC 'Tower' had been set up. 'Tower' being a relative term for the room in which soldiers operated radars and radios.

A flight of Pelicans bringing in three Warthog reconnaissance vehicles with the standard AA Gatling Guns also brought in part of the _Spirit of Fire's_ crew. Ozpin and team JPDE awaited for them in the midst of the UNSC Base. As the Pelicans dropped off the 'Hogs, Marines jumped into the driver seats and found neat parking spots within the base's own Motorpool. Much of the Beacon FOB had been fully expanded upon in but a few days since the Breach.

"It seems as though the UNSC's rearmament has gone accordingly." Ozpin observed, leaning on his cane.

"Quite so. And to add to that, the number of reinforcements received is... Staggering." Penny hummed, looking around as more veteran soldiers helped settle in the newbies from the _Spirit._ Penny sighed "I still cannot believe that they discovered one of their own ships stuck underneath Mountain Glenn... And nobody noticed it while digging." to which Jack and Evelyn chuckled.

"Hey, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, Penny." Jack crossed her arms, watching as the Gunship carrying the important UNSC Personnel touched down on the landing pad ahead. The back hatch propped open and a man wearing a black and grey uniform and a woman wearing a red tank top and baggy pants appeared. The latter had a datapad in her hand...

Following them was Doctor Halsey, a calm smile on her face, and Cortana. The AI-turned-human stretched, yawning, then watched as little Opportunity rushed her. She smiled, then picked up the little girl and held her close, carrying her. The AI Girl moved toward where the Chief and BLUE Team were, waving to team JPDE's other fourths. They waved back...

As Captain Cutter approached Ozpin, he extended his hand "I presume you're Headmaster Ozpin. I'm Captain James Cutter, UNSC _Spirit of Fire._ " And he sighed "Or what's left of her, anyways." before the man gripped and shook. "A pleasure, Captain. Welcome to Beacon... I understand from reports that you and your people have been asleep for quite some time underneath the Vale Mountains..."

"If my shipboard AI's calculations are correct... Which they rarely _aren't_ , it'd be at least 10 millennia since we crashed on the planet." The Captain stated bluntly, making everyone's eyes outside those who knew go wide. Doctor Halsey hummed, noticing Ozpin's reaction, then added her own two cents "Add to that, in our world, only around 30 or so years passed since the _Spirit_ was declared Lost With All Hands."

"Temporal discrepancies can be something that occurs from the artifact you and the Spartans found, Doctor." The Asian woman in the tank top said. "It _is_ Slipstream-based after all."

"Fair way of ascertaining it, Doctor Anders." Halsey quipped back a bit snarkly "We'll have to look into it once we get over there."

"Shall we proceed to discuss further in my officer?" Ozpin offered. The responses were simple nods... And Jack regarded John as he left with Cortana toward a Pelican, followed by six other Spartans. And she wondered where the bird left off toward as it took off for the Emerald Forest. As the Pelican boosted, John arranged his weapon. Kelly, Linda, Fred, Sam and Red Alice followed suite...

As they approached the landing site, they saw burn marks on the trees. Cuts, deep and hot still. And Grimm corpses dissipating on the floor below... Everyone present recognized the marks and Sam and Alice seemed twitchy. They jumped into the Emerald Forest's shrubbery and started following the traces of blade and scorch marks on the trunks and dirt.

As the Spartans advanced, following the trail of plasma-based wounds, they soon found themselves near by a clearing where Grimm were streaming in. Something in the middle gathered them up, but said something seemed to be doing well. John heard the telltale hiss of an Energy Sword striking bone and black fur and skin and saw Grimm being cut in half, corpses flying overhead as they disappeared. A short burst of Plasma Rifle fire struck a Nevermore overhead.

"Chief... Tagging two friendly IFFs..." Cortana noted, grinning.

"Confirmed... Spartans, Ready Up." John said.

"Friendlies? Those sound like Energy Swords, Chief..." Alice muttered. And as the Spartans stood up with John, they saw them... Atop a tall hill, two alien-looking, hunchback creatures with triple-jointed legs swung their Energy Weapons around with disregard. Anywhere they hit would mean a kill. They had 4 mandibles and snake-like eyes hidden underneath helmets. One's armor looked ornate, golden and resembling old Earth designs... The other's was a pure, bone-white with emerald lights. The latter's left mandibles were either shortened or missing, halved...

"The Shipmaster and the Arbiter..." Cortana's jaw dropped...

"Shit! Elites!" Alice raised her rifle to greet the new foe... And saw her hand pushed down by Chief, who shook his head and said "Did you not read the briefings about what happened during the final years of the war, Alice?" to which the girl shook her head. John sighed, then waved the Spartans forward... And Cortana happily joined, twin Magnums drawn.

The Chief nodded to everyone, then jumped, firing his Rail Gun at the targets below. Multiple rounds barked out of the other Spartans' weapons and Cortana's own guns as they moved into the position of the two Sangheilli ahead of them... And the one in gold raised his gaze to meet the Chief as he landed. With a calm voice, he spoke "Spartan... I see you are well..."

"As good as can be..." John nodded, straightening up and switching his weapon to Bludgeon form. "Good to see you, Arbiter."

"The pleasure is all mine, Spartan." The Sangheilli nodded, his jaws morphing into a mock human smile. "I take it you know how to combat these... _Things?_ " He motioned toward the Grimm. John nodded simply, allowing Thel 'Vadam to turn to the Shipmaster and say "Shipmaster, what is your status?" to which Rtas 'Vadum cocked his head back and said "I am ready, Arbiter."

"Very well. Let us cut down these monstrosities..." The Arbiter said, bringing his Energy Sword, which now shined Scarlet, up. He surged forward, followed by the Chief and BLUE TEAM, while Alice and Sam reluctantly helped the Shipmaster in his fight. Thel kicked a Grimm with his hoofed foot, sending the Ursa staggering, before he brought his Energy Sword down, splitting the monstrosity in half with one fell swipe.

John joined in, his Bludgeon striking through the Grimm and breaking jaws and bones and backs. The two fought in a cohesive, joint dance of death. One with a blade sharpened to the micron and the other, with a blunt weapon powerful enough to break his own spine. The BLUE Team members assisted with precise rifle fire. John moved around the Arbiter with a grace that the Elite had not seen in the man when they first fought alongside one-another. His bludgeon thundered as he struck down a Grimm that was about to attack from behind the Sword-Wielding Sangheilli.

Said Sangheilli returned the favor by moving behind the Chief and slashing downward, vivisecting a Beowolf Alpha. The Elite drew his Plasma Rifle with his Left hand and let out a a burst as he wielded the scarlet blade with his right. Chief spun about and fired a round over Thel's head that gutted a Nevermore about to strike at the Elite. Its corpse, split in half by the powerful Magnetized round, tumbled to the floor, its corpse vanishing in a trail of smoke.

Rtas's blade cut through the air, bisecting three Creeps. The Elite raised his gauntlet-covered hand to stop a strike from a Beowolf, his armor's shields flaring blue, before he grabbed the creature by the arm, twisted said arm, bringing the creature to its knees, then... He swung. Its head was flung clean off, corpse disappearing in the Shipmaster's hand.

Alice raised her Rifle and let out a burst of fire that swept the area ahead clean. Sam, meanwhile, used his Knife and Shotgun with about as much calm as he could muster. This was still former foes of theirs. Ones to whom he had died. Ones that Alice had long fought. Rtas looked over to Sam, then said "Spartan, down!" Before Sam's eyes went wide. He crouched as Plasma fire flew over his head and looked back to see a dead Ursa that was about to attack him, killing it. The Shipmaster nodded to him and Sam nodded back, a hint surprised, as the Elite lopped another Grimm's head clean off.

"Elites helping humans... What sort of loopy land is this?" Alice muttered as she raised her rifle again.

"Welcome to the post-war Era, Spartan." Rtas answered, firing his own Plasma Weapon. "It is thanks to your Master Chief and the Arbiter that we have not fired upon you... And why you haven't fired upon us either. For a long eight years."

"Yeah, figured..." Alice muttered. "How's the healing process, by the way?"

"Our people hate each-other less than last year, if that is what you were asking." Rtas quipped, making Alice chuckle...

"An elite with a sense of humor and no homicidal tendencies... Well, I guess we did really draw good this time around." The Spartan noted, kicking down another pair of Grimm and gutting them open with her Rifle's heavy bullets. She looked to Cortana, to see her using an almost unmatched mobility to fire her twin pistols and dance around the Grimm. She jumped into the circle, then looked to Thel and said "Hey, Arbiter! Long time no see!"

"... Is that your Construct, Spartan?" Thel asked, brow raised in confusion.

"Yep..." John kicked another Grimm down, before executing it with a Magnum.

"..." The Elite turned his gaze to the Spartan. "... Interesting." Before slashing another Grimm down with his Energy Sword. "I believe pleasantries are in order, but may we proceed with those once we've finished our fight here?" before grabbing a Beowolf by the throat and squeezing hard enough to snap its neck. He grabbed a Creep by the tail and swung it around like a mace, before throwing it toward more of its brothers.

"Agreed." Chief stated...

The fight ended as quickly as any would expect, once the Spartans and Elites managed to finish off the last monstrosity present. Now, they stood in a field of dissolving Grimm bodies... The Arbiter clipped his Energy Sword to its mount, as did the Shipmaster, before the former extended his alien hand to the Chief. The Spartan gripped it and shook it firmly.

"Many thought you had died, Spartan." The Arbiter noted.

"Many thought he was also the last Spartan, Arbiter." Cortana returned, smiling. She tilted her head to the others "As can be seen, it isn't the case."

"Good." The Arbiter nodded to her and the Chief. "We need to leave, lest more of those creatures come our way."

"Copy..." He tapped his com "Foe Hammer, this is Spartan 117. Requesting Evac. Be advised, we've got a plus two... Tell the people back at base to be calm." And he waited for an answer. The Arbiter hummed... There must've been more humans sent here. If BLUE Team were anything to go by, at least. And the fact that this pilot, Foe Hammer, was alive, was proof enough.

" _Chief, I gotta be honest, I don't like the way you said that..."_ Foe Hammer stated " _But okay... Copy that_." The woman spoke. Soon, the thundering engines came overhead and the UNSC Aircraft swung in. Chief had calmed down Foe Hammer before she raised her pistol. As the vehicle flew in toward Beacon, the Arbiter settled himself into a seat and looked to the Spartans.

"It has been long since we've last seen the Spartan." Rtas stated.

"Indeed." The Arbiter stated, looking at the Chief.

"Being gone for 5 years is a long while, Arbiter." Cortana noted. "How's Sangheillios?"

"It is fine... Free at last, thankfully." The Elite sighed. "It was a long Civil War." before Chief looked over to him and spoke calmly "At least you won. Your people can live without having to worry about the Covenant coming back for a very long time." and received a nod from his Xeno friend... Oh, Gods, how would team RWBY, or anyone in Beacon react to the Elite... Nevermind the UNSC, things were about to get really heated back at home...

* * *

 _ **AN:Buuuut, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to leave y'all hangin with a Cliffhanger for this one! Until the next Volume of RWBY:Spartan Assault Starts, See y'all and have fun! Also, I'm so very sorry this chapter's so short, but I am kind of getting burned out and I figured I needed to get one last chapter out before I take a break. Anyways, the next Volume of RWBY:SA should start somewhere around summer or so, hopefully... If I don't remember by the middle of June, PM me to remind me, 'kay?**_

 _ **Okay. See y'all later!**_


	36. VOLUME 2 PROLOGUE:Home

**_AN:AAAAND I'M BACK! :D_**

 ** _Figured I'd start Volume 2 a little early so I have what to write out during summer and whatnot. Anyways, enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _Spirit of Fire._**

As the Chief and some Spartans were away on a recovery mission, the busy hangars of the crashed warship were very much active with construction workers and equipment, among which were the standard CYCLOPS UNSC mechs. The cave that the UNSC ship was in was being reinforced with Concrete and Rebar to hold it from crashing and the railway that lead to Vale was being rebuilt and reorganized. Meanwhile, Marine Surface Teams, now armed with the new Magnetic Rifles designed by Doctor Halsey and the local, Ruby Rose, marched to maintain a perimeter and keep away prying eyes, would there be any in the abandoned settlement.

Meanwhile, on the Bridge Deck itself, Captain Cutter had asked Doctor Anders to develop anything to help them get a better view of the planet as a whole. He looked over a basic globe on the holodeck, while Serina worked tirelessly on several equations and such. Cutter had asked a certain Crew Member and her entourage to get to the bridge. As shady as these three were, the UNSC presence on planet would require intelligence... And ONI was probably their best bet.

As the elevator to the bridge dinged and the door slid open... Out walked a blonde-haired woman with deep blue eyes, wearing a black cap, with the parent company's logo sown on the forefront, appeared in front of the team. Her hair was caught in a ponytail on the back of her head, wrapped around her neck were a pair of wireless communication headphones and in one of her hands was a tablet. She wore a sleeveless leather jacket below which a black turtleneck resided, ONI logo barely visible on the left, as well as dark-blue jeans and a pair of dress shoes. And under her arm were the faint traces of an M6 in its holster.

Following her in, a UNSC Marine wearing black Spec-Ops armor and a gas mask with tinted goggles walked inside. An automatic Mag shotgun resided on his back. A black weapon fed by a magazine instead of a tube. He was a more dangerous individual than most Marines on deck... ONI Spec-Op and whatnot. And finally, a young woman clad in a black jacket that was buttoned up to the chest area and with a blue undershirt and darker jeans, walked beside the man. She had short blonde hair, with a fringe over her left eye that had a blue strand running through it. On her hip was a black leather holster holding the black form of an M6 SOCOM with an extended magazine and slightly longer barrel.

"You called us, Captain?" The woman with the tablet spoke.

"Major Susan." Cutter nodded curtly... He knew better than to disrespect the one woman present aboard this ship that could probably make them all vanish. "I did."

"Any particular reason?" The woman set her tablet into her pocket and crossed her arms, maintaining a poker face that eluded the Captain. ONI did love to play mind games... He nodded, then tapped a holographic button on the display and motioned to the planet that formed in front of them. Four dots were registered on the planet's surface. One in the northern-most habitable continent, another in the west, one dead center and one in the east. Preliminary scans and old records from since the ship had crashed determined basic local climates.

"We're in a foreign world to us, Major. And we need help to map it out and find allies outside Vale." The man explained, looking to them. "You have an office aboard my ship... ONI has you aboard my ship. And I plan to use every asset I have... As far as I understood from NOBLE and RED Team Spartans, this is a very, _very_ hostile world. Strange creatures roam the planet. They're known as Grimm. And they're the reason we got our upgraded firearms. Magnetic Weapons do just the right kind of damage we need to take these things down."

The Major hummed, rubbing her chin "You want me and my small team to deal with getting you info in exchange for...?" She perked her brow up and looked to the Captain... Fair play. They needed assurance... Since the Marine with her had several charges that put him on the UNSC's most-wanted list and the other woman wasn't anything to scoff at either, what with the counter-Insurgency ops she ran.

"Safety, a place to stay and maybe a retirement plan if things go our way." Cutter offered, seeing through the bluff.

"Hmm... I don't think I have nearly the amount of agents necessary for any kind of job, Captain..." The woman looked over the Remnant Globe... "The Red Dots represent the location of kingdoms, right?" and she got a nod from the Captain... "How many men do we have on station? And how many can be pulled out of active guard duty wherever we are to be trained into Special Ops jobs?"

"I'll get you a roster if you want, but for the time being, what are you going to do, Major?" The Captain asked.

... She simply grinned "Countess, Spades. You and I are going on a short business trip over to Vale itself. Gotta figure out our home field before anything else."

"Aye aye, ma'am." The second girl piped up with a warm voice. She elbowed the shotgunner to her right with a grin and he nodded. The Major turned to the Captain, then nodded, to which Cutter simply returned the nod and turned back to his job. The Spies walked off the deck with their Marine escort in tow and stepped toward the Hangars to find a Pelican and head for Vale on their little 'Reconnaissance' trip... Truth was, ONI Major and Intelligence Officer Sue Susan and her aides, Agent Maria 'Countess' Rovinești and Corporal Dunstan 'Spaces' Pierce hadn't seen sunlight for too long.

* * *

 ** _Beacon... Doctor's Lab and Workshop_**

Ruby stretched her back and yawned a bit at her desk, a smile on her face as she looked over blueprints for several weapon upgrades. Now that the _Spirit of Fire_ ( _Coolest_ name Ruby'd ever heard for a ship!) was present and all of its resources were available for Upgrades and Mods to the weapons _and_ apparently the ship had landed over a vein of pure Fire Dust, the little Rose had a fun time in the lab after classes, designing new ammo types and such for the Marines and Spartans...

She looked up as she saw a cup of coffee placed in front of her by the good Doctor, who said "I understood from miss Schnee that you didn't drink yours today." with a half-smile as she sat down. "What're you working on?" She then asked, taking a sip of her own coffee. Ruby smiled back to the Doctor, then pulled up a set of Blueprints for... Halsey stared on for a moment... Several armor-mounted exo-systems for the MJOLNIR armor sets. Ruby'd designed them without know-how of how the MJOLNIR systems work... Impressive.

"Armor Attachments!" The girl exclaimed, her excitement palpable " I figured that, since John and the others are always gonna go on missions and whatnot, I could give'em a helping hand by adding secondary weapons to their already existing arsenal!" And then Halsey saw her slowly go from joy to a hint of embarrassment... Pressing her index fingers together, the girl averted looking at Halsey as she muttered "... I mean, they looked cool on paper, but I got no idea how MJOLNIR works and can't work'em in without actual knowledge, so... It's a dream..."

Halsey snorted, placing her coffee cup onto a coaster on the table next to her, before saying "I can't promise I'll give you all of the technical specs of the MJOLNIR armor, but what I _can_ do is help you piece together ways your attachments could work their way into the sets... Now, let me see what you've got." And standing up as she saw Ruby's face exponentially light up. She moved over toward the table and saw _several_ interesting attachments.

A shoulder-mounted 4cm Recoilless AT Launcher... Would be good for demolition and breaching, especially with enhanced and specialized Dust Warheads...

A wrist-mounted three-barrel minigun firing 7,62...? Fun for Jorge, most certainly...

... An EMP device meant to fry Shields and other electronics? Hmm... Interesting, but that'd be dangerous to the allies and enemies of the user... Him or herself as well... Jot down for later modifications.

... Whoever gave Ruby access to a Spartan Laser was an amazingly smart person. Palm or wrist-mounted Galilean Non-Linear Rifles. Though producing the crystalline lenses needed for mass-enhancement would be a bit much... And she'd also need to boost MJOLNIR's power output exponentially to allow the wrist-mounted weapons to function continuously...

An issue which Ruby seemed to have thought of while designing some of the items listed above... An extra Dust-based spare battery that would attach to the MJOLNIR armor's back-mount and link directly to its Fusion Reactor with the appropriate modifications. Ruby Rose, you beautiful girl, you... Halsey gave a nod to Ruby and said "The designs are easy to fit into the MJOLNIR set... I'll help you modify them and allow them to work in conjecture with the armor set."

Ruby's eyes lit up as she jumped and hugged Doc, before yelling "THIS IS SO AWESOME!" with a joy you'd only usually see in a kid in a candy story. Doctor Halsey chuckled, then patted the girl on the head and stepped back to take her Coffee. Ruby kept the smile as she said "And soon, we'll have a one-month break before the Festival and I'll be able to work on more designs!"

"The Festival, huh?" Halsey hummed...

 ** _-FLASHBACK-_**

 ** _In Ozpin's office... A few hours after securing the Breach._**

Halsey sat there, a grin on her face as she watched Captain Cutter and several UNSC Marines walk inside. On the holoscreen in front was Headmaster Ozpin's "Bosses". The Council of Vale. And beside them, General Ironwood. The Trio of Councilors were shaded by the poor lighting in the room, probably due to a shorthand power outage in Vale's luxury/governmental area.

"Captain Cutter." Halsey have a nod to the man.

"Doctor Halsey. It's good to see you again." Cutter gave a nod. The tall, old man walked toward the Headmaster and extended his hand, before speaking "You must be Headmaster Ozpin. The man housing the Spartans... I'm Captain James Cutter, of the _Spirit of Fire._ Friends of Doctor Halsey."

Ozpin stood up and firmly shook his hand "A pleasure, Captain. And welcome to Vale. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"When we heard hell had broken loose over the city, we figured we'd help." The Captain nodded as he stepped up beside Ozpin and Halsey. The Councilmen and General stared, the latter with a hint of surprise, at the Captain on whose hip resided a firearm and whose Marines stood on guard. The Headmaster nodded to them, then said "Councilors. This is one of the commanders who helped defend Vale today."

" _Yes, indeed. Greetings, Captain Cutter."_ The female councilor spoke warmly. " _And thank you for your prompt intervention."_

"With all due respect, Ma'am, Atlas was also very prompt in joining the defenses with us. My men said that the Atlesian military cooperated very well with them on the field" Cutter offered a bone to the General. Ironwood nodded.

" _SWORD's heavily-armed intervention was welcome with open arms by my men and me as well, Captain."_ The General returned, taking the bone. " _It's good to see Vale sees things a little more like Atlas."_

 _"Indeed. Our payments toward SWORD were well-deserved."_ A Male councilor, with a more gruff voice, spoke. " _It's good to see investments paying off so quickly."_

"I assure you, Councilors and General, that SWORD will only grow in strength now." Halsey spoke calmly, arms behind her back. "And with cooperation alongside Atlas' military, I do believe that the upcoming Vytal Festival will be secure..." She then spoke... She'd been briefed after she'd arrived from the _Spirit._ Vytal was a big bi-annual event on Remnant... And as much as he disliked the presence of Two foreign armies in Vale, at least one was _acting_ like they were Valeian.

 _"We'd expect nothing less, Doctor. Captain Cutter, it was a pleasure... And General Ironwood, I hope you will play well with our men and women."_ The woman spoke with a more stingy voice to Ironwood. " _Anyways, as things are now, more money will be shifted toward the SWORD as needed while we prepare for the Festival. Remember, ladies and gentlemen, three months."_

 _"We'll make it work, Councilor."_ The General noted.

"Indeed." Cutter added.

" _Very well... That is all, Gentlemen, Doctor. A good day to all of you."_

 ** _-FLASHBACK END-_**

"... Uuuuhm... Doc?" Ruby spoke, making the woman jump a bit and look at her... Ruby was worried... She must've spaced out a little. The UNSC was in charge of maintaining security throughout Vale prior to, during and possibly a bit after Vytal. And they'd have to cooperate with Atlesian Air Force and Military personnel on the job. It seemed easy enough as was, considering that, by some Marines' reports, the Atlesian troops played along well with them during the Breach.

"Sorry, Ruby." She hummed. "I spaced out."

"Ah, it's okay." The girl smiled again. "I mean, you must be pretty tired with everything going on..."

The girls heard running outside and stood up... And then guns cocked. The duet looked to each-other, then ran out of the building toward the Landing pad, where UNSC Marines and Spartans waited with baited breath at the sight of... Halsey looked up and went bug-eyed. An Elite clad in golden ceremonial armor and another one, wearing white, sat beside John and the other Spartans...

Johnson, with a grin on his face, yelled "Alright, Alright, Marines! Scatter and keep them in your pants!" in warning as he pushed his way through with Dubbo, Stacker and Mendoza. The Elites and Spartans disembarked and nobody moved. Johnson, a Sweet Williams between his lips, approached the golden Elite and extended his hand, before saying "Arbiter." in the happiest

... The Alien looked to Johnson and his four split mandibles turned to a Mock human grin, before grabbing the man's hand and shaking it "Sergeant. It is good to see you walk among us too." as he saw Marines trying to keep Beacon students away and staring at him... "What is concerning your soldiers? Or are many from the _Spirit of Fire?_ The Master Chief mentioned what has occurred with you and the Forerunner technology on this planet." and gazing to the uneasy men staring him down with rifles at the ready.

"Well, Arbiter, it's a long-"

" _OHMYGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_ AWWWWWWWWWWD~!" They heard a cute squeal and the Arbiter felt something hit him at high speed, before looking to see Rose petals flying around him. The confused Elite looked down to the girl in the red hood that hugged his waist-although barely reaching it-and smiling. "IT'S AN ALIEN! ALIEN ALIEN! OUTER SPACE ALIEN! BIG REPTILE ALIEN WITH FOUR JAWS! THIS IS _SOOOOOOOOO AWESOME!"_

"God dammit, men, what're you-" Johnson wanted to berate some of the Marines...

"Ruby!"

But Xiao-Long's voice cut him off. "Ruby, what are you do-" And as the Blonde Brawler stepped into view with the W and B of team RWBY, a look of surprise on her face. Her mouth wide open, eyes wider than normal and her cowlick standing on-end, the Blonde approached the Elite and Ruby. Staring up at the hunchback alien, Yang pointed her right index finger at him, then poked... Steel plate and flesh underneath... "Dear God..." And grinning "Holy shit... No, seriously, _HOLY SHIT!_ AN ALIEN!" And her excitement began to show "GIRLS, IT'S A FREAKIN' ALIEN!"

"W-We can see that, Yang..." Blake stuttered, hiding behind a horrified/surprised Weiss and trembling. The Arbiter looked to John as he stepped up with Rtas, then asked the man "Spartan... What is wrong with these human females? They are... Locals, I presume?" before receiving a nod from the man. The Chief took his helmet off, walked up beside the Arbiter and managed to peel Ruby off the Sangheilli. The red girl stared at the Chief and pouted, crossing her arms.

"Girls... This is one of my old comrades from back home..." John introduced the Elite.

"Thel 'Vadam. Arbiter and leader of the Swords of Sangheillios." The Elite placed a fist onto his chest.

"Arbiter. Shipmaster. These are the girls of team RWBY. And yes, they're locals. And huntresses-in-training." John nodded to RWBY. "The one who pounced you, Arbiter, is Ruby Rose. Team leader." And Ruby happily waved at the Elite. John nodded and the Elite nodded back, before Chief continued "Following her is her stepsister, Yang Xiao-Long. The Brawler."

"Yo!" Yang gave the Elite the fingerguns in the most awkward manner ever.

"Right..." John sighed "And following them are... Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna..." He regarded the girls of opposing colors with a hint of surprise as the two seemed scared. He pursed his lips and let Ruby down... Before the girl once again pounced on the Elite. He snorted, then shook his head and looked to Cortana, who shrugged, chuckling. Of course, the girls would be surprised of Aliens on their planet... Rtas was most surprised by them, though...

... There was much to take in...


	37. Operation:Friendly Introduction

Ruby had returned to the dorms with the giddiest smile you'd see ever on this Huntress. There was an _alien_ on campus! A REAL ALIEN!

And his weapons! Energy or Plasma!? She needed to find out...

Bouncing around the room and skipping with joy, Ruby jumped to her bunk and began work on another set of blueprints just based on what she'd seen. Yang watched her sister working happily, a pencil in her hand and a set of large paper in front of her. The Blonde rolled her eyes, grin still present, then looked to Blake and Weiss and saw Blake's eyes darting around the room, while Weiss was stuck in a thinking pose near her desk...

"What's with you two?" The woman asked, crossing her arms.

Blake's eyes stopped onto her partner, then she spoke "Yang. First, we meet a man in armor more advanced than anything Atlas, Remnant's most advanced Military, can employ. Then, he brings in several dozens of his comrades onto school grounds and a Forward Operating Base forms. Following that, we learn from the Doctor that helped them become what they are that they're _alien_ to Remnant." going from a deadpan to getting ever more irritated as she continued, to the point where, now, she was red-faced "Next thing we know, they wipe the White Fang's military presence in Vale with _one fell swoop._ Then we find their ship... And now two... Not _one,_ but **_two_** , Yang. **_TWO_** Aliens who are apparently their allies show up on-planet! WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH US?!" Blake finally burst with all the fury of a Volcano... And Yang could swear she saw steam coming out of the Kitten's ears.

... The Blonde had to actually take a moment to register Blake's anger-filled while Weiss seemed to be sitting, immobile, at her desk. The Heiress' face shifted through a myriad of expressions, from concern, to fear, to worry, to surprise and so on, so forth. Ruby, meanwhile, seemed pretty excited about it. As it was normal to be. Yang sighed, then approached Blake and set a hand on her shoulder. She squeezed, smiled, then said "Blakey, I get the concern and all, but you gotta remember these people are here to help us. They _are_ alien to Remnant and they _are_ allied with ayys, sure, but come on. You gotta admit that there's a lot of good here..."

Blake let out a sigh, calming herself down... May as well listen to her Blondie. She nodded to Yang and said "What'd that be?"

Yang's smile turned to a smirk "Well, for one, we've got a garrison of elite badasses that are well-trained, well-equipped and battle-hardened. They managed to put Torchwick behind bars, arrest that bitch Neo, deal with the thing that's been bugging you for most of your stay at Beacon, save a village and find their own ship, before starting to set up defenses in and around Vale, to enhance our existing ones. They've earned the trust of the people of Vale and us."

Blake hated how much she knew Yang was right... Still, she couldn't help but feel a weight lifted off her shoulder when she saw that the White Fang was hit as hard as it was. Enough so that Adam would hopefully not be a problem anymore. So, instead of protesting, she simply gave a nod and a light smile to her partner, before saying "I need some sleep... Today's been awfully busy." before plopping herself down on her bed.

Thankful her job with Blake was done, Big Sis Yang turned over to Weiss and placed a palm on her head, before sayin' "Yo, Weissu! What's got ya in a bind?"

"Err... Yang." The Ice Queen spoke with a deadpan gave her teammate an Ice-Cold glare "Do that again, or say that again and I will make sure you wind up a blonde popsicle." to which the Blonde backed off, chuckling awkwardly as a droplet of sweat fell down her brow. She raised her hands defensively and walked back, before turning to Rubes. Her sis seemed to be humming a tune as she worked on several blueprints for the Spartans and the UNSC/SWORD.

Hearing a knock at the door, Yang walked toward it and propped it open, only for a blue-haired head to pop in, with a grin. Cortana was as beautiful as ever. And although Yang could just barely see it, the girl was wearing more casual clothing. A white T-Shirt and a pair of shorts that barely reached one-fourth of the way down the thigh. She stepped in, before crossing her arms and looking at Ruby.

"Heya, girls." She nodded to them.

"Cortana." Yang smirked "Lookin' hot."

"Thanks." The AI chuckled. "Came to check up on y'all and actually spend some time with... Somewhat normal company. Mind a fifth person?"

"Not at all." Yang waved her in "This way, m'lady." She winked with a grin. Cortana snorted, then said "Why, thank ye, fair maiden." before walking into the room. Ruby waved to her and Cortana waved back, before noticing some of the blueprints on the side of the bookcase. She smirked, then sat herself down on a chair at a desk and asked "So... I see you girls have been busy too."

"Pretty much." Ruby said.

"Doc Halsey told me of some of the upgrades ya wanna make to MJOLNIR, Ruby." The AI's smirk widened. The girl was a brainiac when it came to weapons, so... "All I can say is, they're fairly impressive designs. And most can be mounted onto the armor with little modification aside from linking the power sources. Now, all we gotta do is hold a poll and ask who wants what item attached to their armor set."

"Really?!" Ruby's eyes lit up with a childish joy Cortana hadn't gotten to see in many people.

Simply giving a nod, she looked to Yang and the others and said "Your team lead's got the smarts to make a fully functioning, self-reloading mini-missile that can be attached to Spartan armor. She should go into the business of gun making." before eyeing Weiss "And her Partner can make Warheads out of any Dust type. If these two ever went into the Defense Contract Business together, I dread what their competition, Atlas or otherwise, may do."

"Really?" Yang raised a brow, then turned to her sis, who chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. Weiss, meanwhile, turned over to the AI-turned-woman and mouthed a thank you.

"C'mon, Cortana. We didn't do that much." The Red girl turned Red with embarrassment.

"Don't be so modest. You're giving us quite the boost in arsenal." Cortana stated simply. "I mean, we-" Her speech got cut off by a heavily-scottish voice coming from the outside...

" _CORTANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! HELP!"_ Came Kelly's voice as she burst into the room, sweating as if she'd run the circumference of a planet "AYE GOT A WEIRD ACCENT ALLOFASUDDEN!"

... Cortana tried to stifle a laugh at the Scottish woman before her. Kelly didn't seem to find it funny. "AYE'M SERIOUS, CORTANA! HOW'D THIS HAPP'N!?"

The AI snorted while the others in the room covered their mouths, before she looked to Kelly and spoke through choked attempts at holding back her laugh "Kelly... I think that's your ol' Scottish heritage kicking in." and saw Yang chuckling behind her hand, tears forming in her eyes.

" _TAE FOCK_!?" Kelly burst, almost ripping hairs and glaring at Cortana "WADDAYA MEAN, SCOTT HERITAGE?! AYE'M SURE I'D KNEW IF AYE HAD IT!"

"... Kelly, does your file say what your family name used to be?" Cortana asked, still holding onto the laughter like a champ, but growing ever-redder in the cheeks.

"... Aye, think so?" Kelly hummed, brows raised "Why're ye askin'?"

... Was almost as if Cortana was mocking her...

"It's Shaddock... Kelly Shaddock..." Cortana snorted, then burst into a full laughing fit "KELLY, YOUR FAMILY WAS SCOTTISH THROUGH AND THROUGH!" before leaning forward and grabbing onto her aching belly. She wiped a tear away, then looked up and spoke through choked laughs "Oh, Dear oh, Dear... I didn't expect the accent to kick in like that, though!"

"Cortana, IT DIDN'T KICK IN FOR THIRTY FOCKEN' YEARS! HOW'D THE WEE CUNT KICK IN NOW!? AND WHY AM'I USIN WORDS AYE NEVER USED BEFORE?!" The girl yelled... Seriously, what kind of bullshit was this? Was this because of her Thyroid Implant failing? Because, if so, she'd ask Halsey specifically to put it back in. Finally, the rest of team RWBY burst into laughter... And Kelly screamed "IT AIN'T FUNNEH!"

"Kinda is..." Yang snorted.

"OI, SLAG, AYE'LL KICK YER ARS-WHAT TAE FOCK IS WRONG WITH ME!?" Kelly yelled "I'M GETTING TO AGGRESSIVE."

"... Kelly... Did you eat anything?" The AI asked. The girl shook her head... And Cortana pulled a flask out of her pocket, before handing it to the girl and said "I found this laying out around back next to a... I think dead or knocked-out crow? I wasn't sure... Anyways, It's full of Whiskey, from the smell... Maybe it'll help?" to which Kelly squinted at Cortana with intent to murder...

"... Ye callin' me a drunkard, Moira?" She growled lowly.

Cortana snorted "No, lass, I'm just suggesting that maybe a little drink will help you."

"... If yer hypothesis proves correct, Aye'm askin' the Doc personally to put the Thyroid implant back in..." Kelly hummed, before popping the cap off and... Despite the severe smell of heavy, cheap alcohol hitting her nostrils, she didn't flinch or scowl. That amounted to two things:The Spartan training... And considering the fact she gave the flask a look of disappointment, her Scottish ability to differentiate cheap alcohol from the good stuff. Taking a swig on her empty stomach, Kelly coughed a bit, but not violently, as the orange-ish, clear liquid burned all the while it was going down. She shook the flask lightly, then said "... Not bad. Thanks, Cortana." before walking out.

... "Oh, God, what did I do?" Cortana laughed aloud. "A SPARTAN THAT LIKES ALCOHOL! She's gonna drink a good few bars dry!"

"Oh, come off it, Cortana. She can't have that high an alcohol resistance." Yang noted, crossing her arms... Noticing a more serious demeanor, despite Cortana's grin, Yang's own grin disappeared... No way... "Her Gene mods?" and seeing a nod from Cortana, she sighed. "Man... She and my uncle would make great drinking buddies... Come to think of it, I wonder where the Old Man is..."

... Somewhere, somehow, a dusty old Qrow woke up with a sneeze...

Meanwhile, in Beacon itself, John stepped off out of his room to search for Jack's Scroll. She'd dropped it in class after today's last lesson before the vacation began fully. So, walking, he found himself in Beacon's halls. Jack was so careless sometimes, even for her Team Lead status. But... Teenage issues happened. John had started to learn that the hard way...

... The sudden stop, however, was weird. He bumped into someone, it seemed...

And seeing two people before him, he said a simple "Sorry." as he noticed one of them was a white-haired boy with a fringe covering his left eye. The other was a deep tangerine color. He was wearing a Haven Academy uniform. And his teammate, a taller woman with more Asian features, wore the same type of uniform, but for females. It wasn't too dissimilar from the Vale one, except for its colors and more standardized look. Black and red...

"No problem, man." The boy said, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling "Guess we were both caught in our own thoughts, right?"

"Guess so..." John hummed... He had a bad feeling about this kid and his friend.

"Did you drop this?" The girl beside him asked, extending him Jack's scroll...

He hummed "Actually, that'd be my teammate's."

"Was stuck between the seats in Port's class..." The girl said, handing it to John.

"Thanks..."

"I'm Lilac, by the way." The girl nodded. "This is my teammate, Howard."

"'Sup." He gave the Chief a mock salute.

"I'm John. A pleasure to meet you both." He said calmly... "I have to go get this to Jack. Was nice meeting both of you. And thanks again." And with that, John stepped off. Howard's grin widened as he extended his own scroll and sent a message toward High Command. The woman gave him a nod, watching John walk off and away... _Target acquired._

 _Begin Operation:Friendly Introduction..._

 ** _Vale. Forested Areas of the Forever Falls. Later that evening._**

A Pelican gunship filled with UNSC Army Rangers readied weapons. Silencers were mounted as midnight fell overhead. With them, the members of ONI aboard the _Spirit_ readied their own weapons. An army of around 100 Mooks had occupied a small manufacturing complex out in the Forever Falls. Said Bastards were more well-armed and trained, it seemed, as Atlas' attempts at breaking through failed... Thus, with that in mind, a Scorpion Tank and 3 other Pelicans with full Blood Trays waited for the signal to reinforce the Rangers. Some said that these weren't Bandits, but some other foreign entity.

Night-Vision Goggles on, the UNSC Rangers stood up and prepared to drop. Reaching a hill on the outskirts of town, the troopers rappelled down, followed by the ONI members... Weapons cocked and safeties off, the soldiers formed up into the treeline. The Special Ops troops aimed down Holographic sights of similar designs to the EoTechs of old. Their NVGs caught the infrared laser beams that helped them further for aiming down sights...

Major Susan, the leader of the op, raised her hand and said "Stand by..." in whisper, before tapping her com and saying " _Spirit._ This is Phantom. We're preparing the advance on the village... You sure of what you're saying, Serina?" before scanning the treeline with her M7 Caseless SOCOM SMG. She waved the Shotgunner and her fellow ONI Operative over.

" _100%. The Communication Package sent via the more shady paths of the Rem-Net tells me as much..."_ Serina stated calmly.

"Roger..." Sighed Sue. She looked to Maria and Dunstan, then through hand signals, showed them to take half the squad and go down the left flank and split up again. She'd take the last third of the team and begin a pincer attack with them after scouting out the enemy's defenses. The duet nodded and the Shotgunner readied his weapon, a grin behind his mask as they walked off. " _Spirit._ We will engage momentarily. Shadow, Over and out."

She looked back to her men and waved them forward. They crept through the treeline, down to the edge of a small cliff. A Sniper team joined Sue at the cliff edge as she took out her binoculars and looked at the small industrial complex. A forest of chimneys, silos and catwalks. Thermal imaging picked up Snipers with advanced weapons on the Catwalks and infantry in the large courtyard of the place. The central building, made of brick and with a slanted roof of metal sheets was occupied by the most bogeys. On the lowest floor of the building were several vehicles, probably what they inserted with in there.

She made sure that she'd transmitted the Visual over to the other soldiers' HUD, then looked at the Snipers on the catwalk, before raising three fingers and readying her SMG. A countdown. As the first finger dropped, she heard the Magnetic Sniper Rifle's coils let out a calming whir while powering. The second finger went down and the Sniper and Spotter communicated wind, elevation and distance of the first sniper... And finally, the last finger dropped. The Sniper thundered and the first enemy fell off the Catwalks. She waved her team forward, planting a thermite charge on the steel-plated wall ahead and taking cover as it melted its way through.

Her team poured down the hill and opened fire. She went in first, with a pointman that had a Shotgun and a soldier with a DMR. Her first burst sent a soldier clad in a black cloak and hauling what looked like a copy of an old Earth weapon to the floor. She kicked away the weapon and double-tapped the man to make sure he was dead, before seeing one of her troopers slump to the floor. A high-power round punched through said trooper's helmet. She looked up, to see the sniper that tagged her ally get taken out, tumbling over the railing and landing with a wet thunk to the floor.

The woman looked to a medic as he checked the trooper, then gave her a shake of the head... Shit... First casualty of the day. She gasped as she heard a Machine Gun rattle from the top floor of the building and saw two of her men get caught in the shots. She waved everyone into cover, then took her own position next to what seemed to be a silo full of textile material and shouldered her SMG. She tagged two bastards with the strange rifles in the head.

The rifles were... AK-47s or Variations thereof... From reports, Remnant was a bit like Earth during the early 21st Century... Still, those weapons shouldn't have been here in the first place... A UNSC Ranger shouldered his rifle and fired a burst. He dropped two hostiles moving in with a heavier weapon... From the looks of things, an M2 Browning Machine Gun. As old as the 50 cal weapon was, it was still versatile. Some colonies still used surplus guns that were... At least 100s of years old in their Militias.

The Machine Gun firing must've been something Rapid-Fire, considering it sounded like a Buzzsaw tearing through paper. She looked over at the Garage area to see the enemy troopers pulling out with vehicles that mounted M2s on the top. She growled, then tapped her com and said "Be advised:Heavy Ordinance required in the Operational Area. Spooky, Bring the Rain."

She looked up to see the Pelican Gunship emerge from the Treeline. The operators of the M2s turned their guns and opened fire, but the armored underbelly of the UNSC Bird protected the crew inside. Meanwhile, its gatling gun spun up menacingly... And let out a one-second burst of Depleted Uranium. The two vehicles were lit up and burst aflame or exploded from the high-caliber rounds.

"Spooky, Shadow. Thanks for the assist." Sue said, before noticing how Countess and Spades now came in. Spades's shotgun thundered and several enemies were caught in the shotgun blasts. Meanwhile, Countess was more precise with her SOCOM M6. She scored Headshots, but missed every once in a while. Sue joined her compatriots, before watching as Spooky swept the surrounding area and tapped her com "Attention all units:Leave at least one hostile alive for interrogation. That is all. Shadow, out." before nodding to Countess and saying "I'm giving ya something to do, Maria."

"If anyone survives, boss, I'll make'em squeal." Countess noted, then looked around... They had a lot of wounded and some dead. The enemy had more dead, though... "Damn..."

"Some casualties are bound to happen..." Sue hummed... "Guess the enemy isn't as poorly prepared as we thought... C'mon, we have to sweep the main building for Intel before we clear out." and the group moved together alongside a team of six Rangers and took cover beside the wall. Another breaching charge on the door and the troopers swept the first corridor clean, before Sue looked around... She looked to see a Tripwire above, just on top of the steps, then said "Mind your steps, kids. Looks like we've got traps."

She watched Spades go on ahead, drawing a knife. He nodded to Sue and said "If we can spot'em, they're way more piss-poor with traps than the Insurgents." before kneeling, looking around for any extra trap that could be triggered and cutting the Trip-Wire. He waved them up and drew his Shotgun again, before sweeping the area ahead of a door and inside the room, only to see documents, a computer and a corpse seated at the desk...

Sue looked around and at the corpse itself, before saying "All clear... No booby traps." and stepping on inside, weapon lowered. Dunstan nodded, trusting the woman as he stepped inside and waved Maria in too. Sue pulled the Corpse over and saw a tag on him, before reading "Captain rank... Nickname 'Thunder'. His name's been scratched out of the tag." And she leaned forward and turned on the PC "Computer works..." and looked through files on both the PC and what was on the desk... She clicked a file on the desk and a holographic display kicked in... That of a man clad in a black armor set with a mask on his face...

"Greetings... SWORD, is it?" The man said, his voice modified by the computer.

"... Maybe. Who's asking?" Sue asked, crossing her arms.

"Someone who knows you have something my people want." The man said calmly, hands behind his back and a ramrod-straight posture. "What about you?"

"The last person you're gonna see, probably... Was this all a trick or something to pull some SWORD Operatives in?" The woman figured out, brow raised.

"Perceptive... Yes, it was a curt introduction of our forces and us." The guy snorted. "I can say, you don't disappoint. Your people are good at combat."

"Been in it for a while." Sue deadpanned. "Yours aren't bad either. Scratched a few of our men." whoever this bastard was was starting to piss Sue off a bit, but she maintained her poker face. He hummed, then nodded and said "Thank you... But this is just the surface. As much as I would love to stay and chat some more, Agent, I must admit... I have my own tribulations to deal with. Hence, you will not see me around Vale... But I'll leave you to a manhunt that _may_ or _may not_ have me found, depending on how good you are."

"I'm good enough..." Sue hummed. "Hide and Seek champion and all."

"How lovely..." The man sarcastically added "One of my Lieutenants will be dealing with your operations, should you start any in Vale, girly. And I'd be careful... She likes to get her claws dirty. Beat her and you may get some info... Ta-Taa~." And with that... He winked off the Com... Sue growled, then looked to the others, who nodded to her, waiting for the order. Sue then looked toward the screen as a Logo flashed for a second... And she caught the words... **_Shadow Doctrine._**

She grinned. Finally, a challenge worthwhile on Remnant. The group walked out of the base... But unbeknownst to them, as they piled out to get to the Pelican, there was someone watching them on a cliff... With silver, mechanical prosthetics bearing sharpened black claws at the end of their fingertips, dark-blue hair waving in the wind, a pair of fox ears at the top of her head and deep orange eyes staring down at her prey as her tail fluttered in the wind, the Lieutenant that the Shadow Doctrine officer referred to bore a deathly grin on her face, her fangs showing...

Fresh lambs to the Slaughter... Kuro Monogatari knew this was gonna be a fun few days for her and her brood... And said brood appeared around her. Clad in black uniforms not too different from those of the troopers in the camp below, they wore black, featureless masks that had faces drawn and etched onto them. They were hauling even more Earth-like weapons, those of which Kuro knew were called the AR-15 Platform weapons... More specifically, guns made by a more 'underground' weapons Company known as Hazel and Keller. Said guns were the modular HK416 Rifles... The most dangerous and versatile of the arsenal...

"... Looks like we got a mission, boys and girls..." Kuro said simply... " _Si Vis Pacem..."_

 _"Parabellum!"_ The Pack called out... And vanished into darkness...


	38. Movie Night!

Ruby seemed content with working on future upgrades for now, so Cortana was kind enough to join her in the endeavor. The little Rose had started work on the guns and gear, a look of joy on her face as she put together the shoulder-mounted Rocket Launcher. Cortana, meanwhile, worked on the ammunition. The first shot would be a basic Fragmentation Rocket based on highly-volatile Fire Dust...

Cortana looked to Ruby, then pointed to the Blueprint and said "Shouldn't we have a backpack that can carry multiple missiles? For fast reloads. The empty tube dips into the pack that has a conveyor and we get an extra missile out in a fraction of the time it'd take the Spartan to hand-reload the thing." to which Ruby hummed, then nodded. Smiling to Cortana, she said "Nice thinking, Cee! Glad you're here to help!"

Cortana patted the girl on the head, then looked to see Oppy working on some gear herself... Advanced Sensor Suites to be exact. Cortana asked "How's it going there, Oppy?"

"Sensor suite is nearly complete, mama!" The girl said happily. "All I have to do is finish the Software upgrade!" before Ruby tossed her an old disk. The little Huntress Gun Nut put the screwdriver she was working with between her lips as she started matching pieces. She made up a flew more blueprints, including a shifting backpack that housed the missiles, with a conveyor system that was made possible by the Transformation System. A rather basic name for Remnant's shifting weapon technology, but the girl could roll with it for now...

"Cortana, qwiick qwstion." Ruby asked, her mouth still occupied by the Screwdriver as she was attaching the launcher tube, its igniter and the modified armor mount pylon to the weapon, before lining the wires inside the machine to allow it to link to the Spartan armor and draw power from the micro-Fusion reactor on the back. She heard Cortana hum in answer, then looked at her. Ruby took the 'driver out of her mouth and started putting the screws in for the tube and systems, before continuing "What're the odds we could make some sort of mini-thrusters that allow... I dunno, either fast relocation or actual flight, depending on power setting?"

Cortana tapped her chin as she entered thought, then smirked and said "Trying to build Iron Man suits, are we, Ruby?"

"Iron _wha?_ " The girl's brow quirked up, clearly confused... And Cortana grinned.

"Oh, you're gonna _adore_ the Doctor's movie collection." She chuckled, before turning back to her own work designing the Mark I, II and III variations of the 7,62 Chaingun that was meant for Jorge and answering "Well, Ruby, the odds are fairly in our favor, considering you've got me, Oppy and your great brain in there to help design some new toys... If ya wanna put together a Thruster set for the MJOLNIRs, I'm sure the Spartans would appreciate that."

Ruby smiled. "Sure thing. I'll get on that after I'm done with the draft for the Rocket Pack Mark I."

"That what we're calling the ammo dispenser for the tube?" Cortana asked... This girl was an entirely different set of brains. If Doctor Halsey had been this thorough in designing new gear... Cortana hummed as sensors pinged and said "Yang is entering the locale." before turning to greet the Blonde Brawler with a smirk. She gave a mock salute and wink, then spoke "Welcome to the Pit, miss Xiao-Long."

Yang gave Cortana the finger guns, a similar smirk on her face, then looked to Ruby and said "Hey, Whiz Kid. Watcha doin'?"

"Oh, hey, sis! I'm making a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher for the Spartans." Ruby openly admitted. "It's gonna be soooo _cool_!" And Yang saw her eyes shimmer. The Blonde's grin only widened as she plopped herself down in a seat and said "Well, sis, I'mma hang around and watch y'all work on the gear. Mind?" before kicking her feet up onto a table and leaning back onto the chair.

Ruby shook her head "Just don't drink doc Halsey's coffee... She gets twitchy."

"Wilco." Yang nodded, before noticing several dozen Blueprints plastered across a wall... Her grin vanished as her lilac eyes ran over every small, intricate detail, from weapon modifications to the manufacturing... "Jeez, Rubes! Did you do all this by yourself?!" before turning to her sister... She couldn't have... But Ruby gave her a nod... _She did..._ Yang looked up at the gear, before asking "Just how much sleep did you lose over this?"

"None." Ruby smiled. "Doctor Halsey was kind enough to remind me not to get too caught up in my projects..." She chuckled in embarrassment "Ehehe... It did happen often..."

... Yang could only sigh, then laugh a bit, before turning to Cortana and saying "She help a lot, I presume?"

"Mag Weapons for our troops were her and doctor's design." Cortana answered calmly, patching together the MARK IV Chaingun model, while Yang's jaw simply dropped... "Oh, Rubes, that reminds me... Want to patent the weapon designs?" She smirked. Ruby raised a brow... And Cortana chuckled at the oblivious Rose "It means nobody can steal the designs and get away with it. Even if they try really hard."

"Oooh. Cool!" Ruby nodded "Let's do that!"

"Oppy, darling. Mind getting mama a computer?" Cortana looked to her AI daughter, who smiled and went to do as asked. Within minutes, the little AI girl brought mama her needed item, with which the bigger, 'Smart' AI began tapping into the Rem-Net and typing in a patent in one of the most obscure Vale Governmental Sites. It would be there, but not known. And shielded from prying eyes, except for when it'd be needed to bring the thievery up to a local court.

Eitherway, the girls soon found themselves continuing work... Up until the shoulder-mounted rocket launcher was finished. Ruby looked at the beauty that stood on a pedestal with a smile and examined every intricate detail she put into it. Aside from the recoil dispensation device at the back, the pack itself had been completed. The pack and rocket system attached themselves via a link system that sent wires running through the back of the armor, not damaging internals, but rather allowing the weapon to fully link into the system. Opportunity had finished her sweep and made the software upgrades an ease-of-access thing. It didn't severely modify the MJOLNIR Operating System, rather than allow a minor upgrade that gave a HUD targeting reticle and direct link to the Neural Relay.

"So..." Cortana stretched and crossed her arms proudly, looking at the giddy Ruby and happy Oppy "Who do you girls wanna fit this on?"

Ruby and Oppy exchanged looks, then turned to Cortana with smiles... She probably figured it out already...

Within the Beacon FOB courtyard, now equipped with the new armor attachment, Sam walked on-deck. The Launcher situated on his left shoulder was pretty amazing to look at. And now that it had a missile loaded, the Spartan felt... More well-armed. Cortana smirked as she saw Marines gather for the demo. She stepped up beside Sam as Weiss and Blake also joined Ruby and Yang at the demo, then said "Sam, the missile launcher will track with your head through a... I'm gonna say almost 100 degree angle. To shoot, you think about it and from there, guide the missile in fly-by-wire."

"And you're telling me Ruby and you made this...?" Sam's brow quirked up.

"Yep." Cortana chuckled, before finishing the attachment "There..."

And, true to Cortana's work, a reticle flashed onto the HUD... The Spartan stretched his shoulders a bit, then started looking around. A faint mechanical whir on the left side of his head told him the missile launcher was tracking. He watched the Marines clear him a path and he saw his target. A destroyed, disassembled Warthog... He thought of the ammo type he wanted, then pointed his index finger forward, to show off... Closing it as if pressing the trigger, he heard the rocket's engine thunder. As it left the tube, the missile traveled to where he was looking:Specifically, the sky... He then gazed down at his target, locking onto the wrecked 'Hog with a grin.

The missile spun mid-air utilizing special gyro-thrusters, then flew at full speed and slammed into the unarmored vehicular wreck. And its double warhead, primed with Fire Dust, detonated inside the metal, melting and twisting the car's skeleton and sending burning steel falling onto the floor around it... Sam let the weapon reload off the backpack and let it stow itself, before hearing the cheers of several Marines... He turned to team RWBY and stepped up to the little Redhead. He smirked, taking his helmet off, then patted Ruby on the head, before praising her "Nice work, Ruby."

The girl pumped her fist up in the air and cried out a joyous "YES! IT WORKS!" before laughing. Yang gave Ruby a light slap on the back, grinning.

"Nice one, sis!" She complimented.

"I'm not even surprised it works..." Blake smiled. "It is Ruby after all."

"Hmm." Weiss nodded.

Cortana walked up to Ruby, then smirked and said "You know... I can see you enjoying Iron Man, Rubes... Hell, maybe we'll get you an armor similar to, if not the same as that... The _Iron Rose_!" and she waved forward, looking at Ruby's reaction... Well, the girl sure as hell seemed excited at the prospect. She was smiling wider than before. Cortana looked to Halsey as she approached, then suggested "Hey, Doc... How about we do a movie night with the girls of team RWBY."

"Oh?" Halsey's brow quirked up, noticing how the others stared at her with a hint of surprise and... Almost begging? She looked to a smiling Ruby and Cortana, then sighed and said "I don't see how a Movie Night would be a problem. We could do it as a sort of Girls' Night Out, since your vacation _is_ starting, girls." nodding to team RWBY. Yang grinned, tapping Blakey on the shoulder and Weiss shrugged... Halsey chuckled "How about this evening at around 7?"

"We can do that." Yang nodded.

"I don't see a problem." Weiss shrugged again.

"I'm fine with it." Blake agreed.

" _YYYYYESSSSS_!" Ruby cheered "This'll be sooo _cool~!_ I'll bring the snacks! Ooh! And I need new clothes and I also need some cool new tools and..."

Halsey snorted... She liked the girls, really... She looked to John as he approached. The boy said "We'll clean the place up, Doctor. You go prep the Movie night for you and the Girls. May I suggest Iron Man, as Cortana has said several times?" to which Halsey nodded. She felt Ruby tugging at her Labcoat, then looked at the Redheaded Silver-eyed warrior...

"Mind if the girls from team JNPR and JPDE join us as well, Doctor?" Ruby asked.

"Not at all. It is a Girls' Night Out." The woman smiled. "And since we're here... We're gonna do the Marvel Marathon tonight." and it would also be a chance for her to spend some actual... Mother-Daughter time? She loved that idea for a name... With her Spartan girls. She could rail in Daisy, since she was still in recovery... Wait, _DAISY!_ Oh, goodness, her Prosthetics had just arrived!

"I'll be back in about an hour. I have to help Daisy and Cal..." She said... Her joy dropped by several percentiles when thinking of Daisy... Sighing, the woman walked toward the FOB medical bay... Ruby looked a bit surprised by the Doctor's change, then turned to John and Sam. The two shook their heads... It still affected the Doctor. Quite severely... Sadly enough.

As the Doctor walked inside, she found Daisy and Cal laughing... Despite Daisy's grievous wounds, the two still could laugh it out. Cal was smiling as she held Daisy up, while the Blonde seemed to chuckle, patting Cal's head... Halsey cleared her throat and Daisy and Cal stopped their little... Friendly moment, turning to the Doctor. In her hand resided a rather large briefcase. Brows raised, the Doctor pointed with her free hand toward her left... And then to the Left leg.

Daisy's good eye threatened to leave its socket as Halsey pointed at her own eye. Specifically, at the one Daisy had damaged. She tapped the Briefcase again... And Daisy smiled happily. As did Cal. Without another word, Halsey got to installing the prosthetics, apparent gifts given by the Atlas Military, and took to attaching them... First, the Arm locked into place with a buzz... Daisy winced a bit at the feeling, but then... She felt... She felt... Movement... Looking at her left arm, the white robotic limb moved like the lost one... She clenched and unclenched her fist, seeing the fingers move naturally, before tracing Cal's skin with the new fingers... While, to Cal, they felt a hint cold, to Daisy... She _felt..._

And was so distracted that she didn't even feel Halsey installing her leg. The woman then looked at her other limb and, despite not being able to move toes, she felt slight changes in pressure. Halsey looked to the girl, holding her left hand while Cal took the right, then said "Please, step off, Daisy... I need to know if these need to be calibrated any more..."

Daisy did as asked, before stepping with her left foot off first, feeling a slight change in pressure as she shifted her weight, before placing her right foot down... And, with help from Cal and the Doc, she stood to her feet. And took one step... Then another... And another... And another, without help, and another... The damage to muscle memory wasn't present... And Daisy looked to the Doc... "Where'd you-"

"General Ironwood was kind enough to ship these to us... And the eye, which I'll install now, was a Flash-Clone. Please, lay back down..."

After a short bout under anesthesia, both of Daisy's eyes opened... And she blinked as the new eye calibrated itself to her nervous system. She stood up, feeling her arm and leg now slightly more powerful... More akin to her original ones. She looked to the Doctor... Then ran and hugged her. Not tight enough to break vertebrae, but tight enough that her spine slightly cracked...

"Happy... To see you... too... Uhm..." Halsey coughed as she was put down by Daisy, before saying "There'll be a girls' movie night in my and Ruby's laboratory... I've already pinged most other female Spartans and was wondering if you'd like to join." to which the two girls stared to each-other... Daisy chuckled "Very funny, doc..." before noticing she was serious...

"... Sure." Cal shrugged. "What's on the list?"

"Mostly Marvel movies. Starting with the first one..." The woman answered. "Iron Man."

"Doc... Even we know those movies are around 500+ years old..." Cal chuckled.

"Yet they are still classics." Halsey returned. "And quite well-crafted."

... Daisy hummed "Ah, why the hell not, Doc. We're coming."

Halsey smiled "Happy to hear... Now, I must go prepare." She walked out of the room. Daisy and Cal looked to each-other, slightly surprised, before shrugging. As day passed and night came, the Spartan boys trained and hanged out together, while teams RWBY, JPDE minus 'D' and the N and P of JNPR walked together into... A surprisingly clean laboratory, with seats, snacks and sleeping bags. The girls wore pajamas... And seemed surprised at the sight before them.

"Wow..." Ruby said, noticing the screen ahead and the projector. Doctor Halsey came out in her own pajama set(Something less... Night Gown-y and more proper pajama) before noting "Indeed... Welcome, girls." And sitting herself down. She took out a crystalline chip and watched as Cortana and teams RWBY and JPDE plopped themselves up in front, beside her.

"So. Iron Man, right?" Cortana smirked.

"Yes." Halsey gave a nod.

Cortana turned to the Spartans, Nora and Pyrrha, then, with a smirk, said "You're gonna enjoy this." Before settling herself into her seat. Daisy and Cal smirked, watching the Doctor slide in the chip, before starting "Well, Ladies of Beacon and the SPARTAN project, I welcome you to the first official movie night of the Beacon Cadre... As much as I'd love to hold a pompous speech similar to what I did when I announced sword, I will be brutally honest, I am just here to re-watch my favorite series of movies with people I know and enjoy the company of, as well as some of my Spartans. I will probably be doing two showings of this later on for the boys as well, but for now...?" She smirked, then hit play on the first movie of a series of god-knew-how-many...

Several things happened in the evening, among which:Ruby was taking notes for a prototype Armor she wanted to surprise Halsey with, whilst also clearly enjoying the movie, not only because of interesting items, but the story was halfway decent for a first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The other girls seemed to enjoy it too, as Cal and Daisy spoke happily about Iron Man and his set of armor. It was pretty endearing to see Ruby cheering at the action scenes, with her team, eating popcorn and glued to their seats. It would be fun to see Ruby try to recreate the-Oh, Goodness Gracious, she would try to recreate the Iron Man armor.

... The woman didn't know if she was afraid or... IF she did enjoy the idea of seeing the young one recreate it... Probably fully functioning...


	39. Chasing Shadows

**_ONI 'Office' aboard the Spirit of Fire._**

It'd taken a few hours for the Engineering Crew to set up most of the Intelligence Office's furniture and items of interest. Though now located deeper underground than most ONI Operatives were used to and with several layers of Titanium, Rock, Concrete and such above her head, Sue found herself rather comfortable. She had a large desk with a window view to one of the caves outside. To her left resided a newly-installed Holo-Vision from Vale, as gifted by their newer 'Employers' and on the right, against one of the steel walls, resided a board that had nothing on it save for a few pins on the side to allow her to set up a coherent intelligence network...

She'd been told earlier today, by the Captain, about a possible new arrival from Remnant's own populace. An agent assigned to them by Ozpin... If the Headmaster gave off any sort of feeling, it was that he had experience with everything he did. From setting up SWORD as a facade for UNSC Operations on his own turf, to allowing the troopers to bear their insignia in battle and, now, to assigning one of his own to the ONI Major's crew, probably as a supervisor, all his actions gave off the feeling of a professional...

The woman neatly arranged a stack of papers onto the side of her desk and looked over farther left, to see a small kitchenette that had been installed as to allow her to stay in her office if she needed. It had all necessary amenities, including a coffee maker and she also had a bathroom off to the right, in a small hallway just past the cork board. In broad terms, her 'Office' was also her living space.

The woman pulled up a file from the stack of papers. The file of the agent Ozpin had assigned to them. She glanced over at his age and saw he couldn't have been older than the First Years at Ozpin's school. Seventeen years old... And if the file was to be believed, Ozpin had the boy, a very strange Fox Faunus, inside Beacon's files and business for more than 12 of those 17 years and has also been working for 4 of them as an intelligence agent for him.

A doorbell rang and the woman snorted and checked her wristwatch as she put the file down in front of her. The boy was punctual, at least... "Come on in." She offered calmly and watched a young man, clearly of Faunus descent, but with several traits, step inside. He had dark-blue hair... Fur...? Both... On his head, his fox ears and tail, but the tail also went from dark-blue to white at the tips. He also had dark-blue eyes and wore a somewhat standard set of civilian clothing... A black leather jacket that was open to reveal a T-Shirt with a rock band that was probably local to Remnant, a pair of loose jeans and black work boots. Under his jacket were a pair of modified, seemingly Atlesian-style Sub Machine Guns.

"Welcome... Mathias Vahlen, is it?" Sue's brow quirked up, but she maintained a calm attitude.

The boy gave a nod "Yes, ma'am. That's me." and gazed around, a bit awed... Sue chuckled, noticing the look in his eyes, but the boy was ahead of her in answering what she was about to ask, speaking "I'm kinda awed this is a Space Ship, ma'am... That's all." before turning back toward her and stepping up. She extended her hand toward him over the desk and he gripped and shook... Smirking as he noticed his file on the desk, the kid spoke calmly "Looking over the merch, ma'am?"

"Figure I should know the kid the Headmaster sent our way." The woman returned, leaning back. She motioned toward a couch off to the left of her desk, then said "Take a seat, Mathias."

"Just Matt's fine, ma'am." The boy answered, plopping himself down in the seat.

"Then it's just Sue for you as well, Matt." She tapped her chin. "Any callsign you go by?"

The kid's brow quirked up and he shook his head. "Rarely, if at all." before receiving a questioning glance from her... She hummed, then nodded and said "Alright then, Matt... Guess we'll see if you earn it while working with us... Callsigns for me and my team usually mean they've earned their spots in the little operational Cell we have here. It's like a Rite of Passage."

Matt grinned "Gotcha. Saying I'm eager to earn it now would be an understatement..."

Sue nodded... The bonus points were that this kid was both a local and well-versed in cultures, from the looks of things. Meaning that, despite the strangeness of multiple Faunus traits showing, he could very well be an asset the team would need. If any more White Fang issues start appearing... God, she remembered reading about what happened a while before they arrived.

She sighed... _Shadow Doctrine_ , however... They knew so little of them. Hmm... Maybe a mission to prove himself would do them good... She tapped her chin, then took a file out from her report papers and looked over it. Countess... Maria... Had been out on a Recon op for the better part of two weeks. And Spades, or Dunstan, was awaiting orders to go retrieve her with a squad of Rangers behind him. She did send several reports of Shadow Doctrine activity in the Commercial District area she was sent to, so Sue figured they must've had at least a minor outpost nearby... And Matt could help with that.

"Matt... I've got a request." She looked to him. "Well... More of a demand, really. A test."

The boy gave a nod "Go ahead, ma'am. I'm all ears." And he smirked as his fox ears twitched... Sue snorted, then handed him the file on Operation:Ghost Hunt. And as the boy took the files into his hand, he leaned back onto the sofa and read them. An op requiring a small team of at least four Operatives to insert and assist a local Agent in retrieving necessary intel. The data was on a quote "Rogue organization with unknown strength operating in the area."

"I've already gotten the team I want to assist you in the operation... They're Spartans from Beta Company and are at around your age." Sue noted. "You will be deploying to reinforce one of my operatives that's already in the area. Her callsign is 'Countess'." and she looked at Matt. "It's a good thing you have civilian clothing, because you'll need the bonus of hiding in plain sight."

Another doorbell... Sue smirked "Those must be the Twins. Come in!"

And inside, strolled two tall, lean teens. One of them was a male, a forehead above Matt. He had black hair, blue eyes and wore an inconspicuous-looking black jacket, a shirt of similar color and a pair of dark-blue jeans, as well as a simple pair of sneakers. Beside him was a girl that was a mere inch or so shorter than him. She wore a similar outfit, but replaced the pants with a knee-length skirt and the black shirt with a green one. They did have a pretty similar facial structure, to be honest... Well, not completely, because the girl was still a girl and... Well... Yeah...

The duo saluted Sue and said "Ma'am."

"At ease, Mary, Erwin." Sue nodded to them. "This is Mathias Vahlen." She motioned to Matt "You'll be working with him to reinforce Countess on her little info-gathering op."

Erwin, presumably, turned toward Matt and the kid felt a chill shoot up his spine. The stare of the boy before him was piercing, cold, calculate... He was a soldier alright. Turning to Matt fully and walking to him, he extended his hand and said "Presume ms. Frostbite approved your file for a test run?" before feeling Matt grip and shake it. The Fox Faunus nodded to the Operative. The Spartan hummed "Good." Before turning to Sue and asking "When are we leaving, ma'am?"

"As soon as you kids are done preparing your gear." Sue answered calmly. "I have a Pelican at the ready in the Hangar bay. Take it when you need to leave. And... One more thing." She looked to them just before they turned to leave and spoke calmly "Countess has set up our first Safe House within Vale. Use it sparingly and make sure you aren't tracked to it, at least until we can get more of them online. That's all for now..." And she neatly arranged a stack of papers "Dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am." Erwin gave a nod. "C'mon." He motioned toward the door while looking at Matt and his sister. The trio strolled outside into the large halls of the UNSC Transport vessel turned bunker. Matt looked to Erwin and asked a question he wanted to get out as soon as possible "How long have you known miss Susan?"

"A couple of months." Erwin answered. His sister gave a nod.

"That little?" The Fox's brow quirked up.

Erwin hummed "We weren't exactly here two months ago. So yeah, that little... Still, she's our handler now. As she is yours."

Matt snickered "Cool. Always wanted to be part of a proper Intelligence Agency."

"Then you're in luck Ozpin gave you this assignment." Erwin quipped. The trio turned through to the armory, where several Marines had just come out without weapons or armors. They saluted Erwin and Mary and the two Spartans saluted back. Said Marines also looked a bit surprised at Matt, but they gave him nods and smirks too. He smirked back at them, among which a few girls, before they strolled into the armory... Erwin went to the Quartermaster, a man in his mid-40s with a scar over his eye, a grey beard and wearing a different off-duty PT uniform than the others, hat and comms device included... He had his feet kicked up on the desk and was leaning back on his leather office chair.

Erwin spoke to the man "Hello, Harris... We need Parcel Six."

The man smirked "Going to a bug hunt?"

"Something similar." Erwin answered mechanically.

"Alright. Hold on here." The man said, then stood up from his chair and walked toward one of three safes on the wall. Using a combo known only to him, probably, he propped open the safe and took out a medium-sized box. Sliding it onto the counter next to the Spartans, he extended an ID reader toward Erwin, to which the boy took his dog tags out from under his shirt and waved them over the reader. It pinged and shined a bright green... And the Spartans went to work on opening the box as gently as possible. Out from the box, the Spartans pulled from underneath foam beans made for packing a pair of silenced Sub Machine Guns with red dot sights attached to the top. The M7/s SOCOMs, favored by many Special Ops teams.

"Thanks, Harris." The Spartan nodded, slinging the weapon into an unseen mount under his coat. He dropped a few gold chits onto the table. He then turned to Matt and noticed his guns safely tucked away. Grabbing a few extra mags of ammo for their own weapons, the Spartans strolled outside with Matt following them, before they went for the ship's hangar bay...

As much as Matt had seen it before, the place was still pretty awe-inspiring. It housed multiple aircraft, among which transports, gunships and bombers, so that always made it a pretty cool place to be in. Eitherway, the trio walked up onto one of the landing pads, toward a Pelican that was painted jet-black instead of the usual Marine Green. As they got in, they noticed part of the Blood Tray's chairs had been removed to accommodate communication devices and monitoring systems, as well as a Cyberwarfare suite. Sitting themselves down, they watched as an ONI Pilot appeared and flicked on a few switches, before going back to her seat without another word.

The rear hatch of the aircraft closed and Matt felt a chill shoot up his spine as the engines thundered and roared outside, powering on. He looked to the sister of the duet and asked "Ya alright?"

She simply nodded...

"Mary doesn't talk much anymore." Erwin said, as if guessing what the next question was. Matt looked to him, but Erwin shook his head and said "It's not important." in a passive-aggressive tone, as if he was warning Matt... The guy gave a nod, then sighed and leaned back into his seat. His thoughts turned to his family... Wherever they could be right now. His sister, his mom, his dad... Everyone.

It'd been a long while since he left his village, anyways... That wasn't something to think about during missions. He watched out the back window as the vehicle flew over into Vale at high speed. It approached its touchdown location:Presumably a secluded courtyard, from what Matt could see and the back hatch popped open. The Spartan twins stood up and walked our, followed by Matt.

Coming out from the back door of a small, run-down apartment complex and leaning against the door frame, the blonde-haired Operative known as Countess greeted the kids with a smile. "Erwin, Mary. Welcome to your first field op." She nodded, then noticed the approaching Matt and said "Well, hello there, Faunus boy." before straightening up and saying "So you're the one that the maj-err... Frostbite messaged me about."

She looked to the Pelican and its ONI Pilot, then said "Get it somewhere safe and wait for us if we ping you. Got it?"

The pilot wordlessly nodded and stepped inside his bird. Countess, meanwhile, looked over to Matt and the others again and invited "C'mon inside, kids. I've made some food..." before walking first. Following her were the Spartans, then Matt, who closed the door behind them. As he walked inside, he was surprised to find that this wasn't a simple apartment complex... Aside from the fact that the stairs that led up to the second and third floor were unfinished, meaning no safety rail, the kids found themselves walking up them and into the Spook's apartment, which was a three-room, medium-sized place with a combined kitchen and living room, as well as a balcony that had a clear view of the street. The shades were drawn and lights were on...

Several pieces of equipment were scattered on the bits of furniture around. On the rounded dining table were a computer, radio system and an M6 pistol with an in-built silencer, presumably. Following that, there were also three mags waiting to be loaded and an ammo box of .50 SAP-HE ammo for the pistol, minus the propellant casing, because magnetic weapons, apparently. Countess smirked, then said "Welcome to the Den. Make yourselves comfy."

As the Spartans set their weapons down on the table, they sat down at the chairs... Matt, meanwhile, looked around the apartment. He noticed there was a rather long briefcase opened on the floor to the side. He saw a long-barreled rifle with a large mag sitting there and knew full-well that was a Sniper... It was missing its scope, however. He also noticed several wires running through the place that _didn't_ link to the spy tech around him...

"I'm a bit clinically paranoid." The older Operative hummed "The wires are linked to small Thermite charges, which are attached to items of importance that I can't simply haul out of the place. In case we need to Torch and Burn our way out of the place, they'll help." She then said, before going to the stove and pulling out a tray of cooked meat and potatoes...

Matt hadn't been in this kind of Deep Operation before... Worryingly enough so. He also noticed secondary countermeasures placed along the walls, including a fake wall which probably stored more guns, a secondary com in case the first one was disabled and the knives that had been sharpened enough to allow them to cut through almost anything or... Any _one._

The woman brought the food over to the table and set it down, before taking out some plates and saying "Sit down and eat. I'll explain more of what I've found so far when we don't have empty stomachs." before setting the rest of the table up. As the Spartans and Faunus boy sat themselves down, Erwin looked to Maria and raised a brow, readying himself to eat. Countess, or Maria, however you preferred to call her, sat herself down too and opened up her computer. She began to talk to them. "Welcome to your first ops inside Vale, twins and Fox. Name's Maria Rovinești, or Countess, depending entirely on how you want to call me in the safe house, but stick to Maria when we're out in the world. We're here for one objective only:gathering information about an unknown hostile organization known as Shadow Doctrine."

Maria pulled up a rough sketch of the emblem on her PC. "Earlier today, some conspiracy theories surfaced on the Rem-Net and data pertaining to Shadow Doctrine and who they are. It's being speculated upon by people from all across this world, so it's pretty big. I don't know where the info popped up from and I don't know why, but until I'm proven otherwise, I'll say that they themselves released it... And are probably planning to go public pretty soon."

She hummed, then started writing data on her PC and spoke to them "In other orders of business, related to our objective:I've spotted a squad of heavily armed personnel bearing old Earth armaments located in a nearby building. Apparently, if their badges and data are to be believed, they're a Private Military Company running security and policing on what would be a Schnee Branch building in Vale's Commercial Sector. Their company goes by the name of 'Shield Industries' and, from what I was able to find online about them, they've been pretty active with the Schnee Dust Corp since they were created. Despite me liking to think our dust-supplying buddy up at the top of Atlas, another kingdom around the North, is not doing anything shady and that this organization is legitimate security... Footage from a raid at a Shadow Doctrine base done by Frostbite, myself and Spades, combined with photos of Shield Troopers bearing the same armors and uniforms to our quarry, plus the SI badge, makes me think we're dealing with Shadows."

She turned her computer around and showed the kids images of the supposed Shield Industries troopers in parallel with images taken of Shadow Doctrine infantry... The designs evenly matched from weapons to armor. In one of the photos, a trooper without a helmet and bearing a symbol on his chest stood beside two other Guards near the SDC building, which had a snowflake emblem on top... On his chest was a shield crest with Kanji writing on it, while below, in a small ribbon were the words 'Shield Industries. Pacem Domine'.

"I think the SDC building may have info on these bastards, so I want to get in it..." The woman leaned toward the Spartans and Matt. "And you three are here to help me do that... Whatever info we find, we'll beam straight back to Frostbite and be done with it. Estimates are we won't be out here for more than a week, so make yourselves comfy, but not too much so. If you don't have any questions, that's all the briefing I can give you for now. Enjoy dinner." And she smiled, then took to eating herself... It was a stakeout and for Matt... It was kind of exciting, really.


	40. Hot Drop into Mistral P1:Sienna Khan

**_Pelican Echo-419._**

 ** _Destination:Mistrali outskirts._**

Spartan Blue, Red and Green teams prepared to deploy...

Mistral, it seemed, requested backup from SWORD due to local crime gangs acting up after the power vacuum left by an apparent White Fang presence in the area. The Chief wanted to finish off the White Fang for good, as did the others, for many reasons. Terrorist actions, murdering civilians, hurting a fellow Spartan... Chief regarded Fred with a nod, looking as the man finished up the Red Team stripe on his shoulder. He'd been offered a place back in commanding the 14-Spartan Platoon that was a now full strength Red Team... John looked over toward Linda afterward. The woman with the magnetic, modular sniper to her side and the emerald stripes of Green Team on the bicep of the armor.

Daisy and Cal were also members of Green, but sadly couldn't join the team today. Cal was helping Daisy relearn how to walk... One of the reasons the Spartans were going at all was because of that. Still, John had an aching feeling that Mistral didn't give SWORD access to their country for the sake of simply dealing with local crime gangs. Something else was afoot around the area that the Mistrali government wanted to deal with...

He figured it was about time they got back into the swing of things as far as military life went. He looked to the Spartans on the deck, racked the bolt of his rifle and slung it on his back after a slug was fed into the barrel. He watched Kelly shift uncomfortably in her seat and noticed Kurt, clad in his SPI variation of armor instead of his MJOLNIR, uneasily shifting too... He walked toward the two of them, at the back of the Pelican's blood tray and asked "Something wrong?"

"Nagging feeling, Chief." Kurt spoke calmly, then gave his CO a nod. "You know..."

John nodded back, then turned to Kelly as the Rabbit reran through the cleaning of her Shotgun for the fifth time. She pointed to Kurt after finally sliding the magnetically-charged barrel of the pellet-dispensing rifle back into place and nodded... His fault, she wanted to say. He hummed, then looked again to the two of them, nodded and watched as Foe Hammer appeared in the Blood Tray, helmet slung under her arm.

"We're one hour out from Mistral's outskirts, Chief. Far as I can tell, we haven't been detected by their ATC yet." She reported calmly and John noticed her sidearm was on her hip. Safety was on, but the gun was live... And she seemed uneasy too. Ozpin had mentioned something that was off about the signal from Mistral... That it wasn't properly encrypted even by Mistrali standards. Could be a trap or a test by an enemy unit to see the strength of the Spartans... Or it could've been the enigmatic third party in Ozpin's war. _Shadow Doctrine_...

Chief hated not having intel on them. By definition, he should've been glad an ONI Agent was aboard the _Spirit_ and working on building a network in Vale's underground to get more info, but if what he suspected was true, then the Doctrine wasn't something as easy to deal with as the White Fang and ONI wasn't... Known... for being friendly to Spartans... He pushed any worry that started creeping up aside and said to the pilot "Maintain radio silence. Something doesn't feel right."

"New communique, coming in from Beacon, Foe Hammer!" Her co-pilot spoke "Meeting location with a local representative, though you're not gonna like it... It's in the Undertown of the capital."

... Things just went from interesting to worrying. A lot of rumors circulated on the RemNet about Mistral's Undertown. The capital was situated on top of and within the bellies of two inactive and the wealthiest lived at the top, in the calderas. The Undertown, meanwhile, was a location between the two mountains, in a crevasse that was made by a small river where organized crime rings, from drug trafficking to human trafficking, assassins and such seedy and less-than-trustworthy individuals lived. The Spartans would have to be careful. Not like tonnes of armored plating didn't draw attention, but...

"Well, shit." Carol sighed. "Where are we gonna land, Chief?"

John turned thoughtful for a moment, then answered "Keep the same plan... Land us in the outskirts of the Capital. We'll figure it out from there." to which Carol nodded. She turned back and entered the cockpit, the door shutting behind her. The Chief looked around at the Team Leads and spoke "Red Lead, I'll need you to make sure that we have an open escape route before we get down to the Undertown area..."

"Got it, Chief." Fred responded promptly, slinging his DMR on his back.

"Green Lead, I need you to keep said escape route open. You and your team will be providing overwatch, while we go to meet our contact." The Chief then ordered to Linda, who returned a nod. Chief took out the holo-map given to him by Ozpin to guide them to wherever the meeting point would be and looked over the new communique's attached coordinates. He pitted them and pinned them onto a local bar in the Undertown, known as the Black Widow... Hmm.

He handed Fred and Linda copies of the maps to study them and find the best vantage points and escape routes, then walked up to Sam, who was leaning against the wall near the ladder that lead to the roof of the Pelican. Sam gave a nod to Chief, who nodded back to his good friend and quipped"Packed enough C12?" getting a chuckle out of the tall, sandy-haired Spartan.

"Probably enough to level one of the two mountains. Why, figure we'll need it?" Sam raised a brow, tilting his helmet forward.

"No. But it's good to be prepared." He hummed, feeling that they _would_ use the bombs in this op... Maybe as a distraction... An hour passed with the only sounds in the cabin of the Pelican being the thunder of the shuttle's engines as the Spartans prepared themselves to enter a more stealth-oriented approach. The aircraft began its descent into a thicket of jungle two kilometers outside Mistral...

As it touched down, the Supersoldiers jumped out of the open back hatch of the vehicle and began to scatter, forming a perimeter and turning on their Motion Trackers. They scanned the treeline as the Chief joined them and with slow, deft motions, he split the three teams and ordered them to their designated roles. He showed Blue Team, which meant Kelly, Sam and Kurt, to follow him...

As the teams quickly paced through the shrubs in staggered column formations, the pointmen of the team, meaning the Leaders at this exact moment, looked to each-other. John flicked an amber acknowledgement light twice. 'Scatter and secure'. Two green lights came back onto his HUD and the teams peeled off and away, with Linda's team moving toward the high ground of a hill with tall grass and shrubbery, while Fred and Red Team split up into small Fireteams. Soon, the tall twin peaks that made up Mistral's natural defense against the Grimm came into view. Tall, green and bridged by a large building at the top. Dozens of smaller buildings, from houses to Inns, honeycombed the mountains.

Stepping down the hill they were on and forming up into a wedge, Blue Team had separated themselves by at least 25 meters each, right at the edge of each-other's motion trackers, to better cover the entire area. And as they went down, the four-Spartan team found themselves entering a valley down the middle of which a river ran. Small fishing houses and several boats permeated this lower area of Mistral's outskirts, with several dozen run-down looking houses that led into the crevasse between the two peaks were a mere few meters farther from the dock at 400 meters distance... And between them and it were three things:An open field down the center, a series of corn fields on the left and the riverbank on the right.

Two would have them spotted almost immediately... And the mission did have an extra objective: _Make sure the people of Mistral do not know you even entered the kingdom._ An odd request from a local councilman, to be sure, but... John squelched whatever doubts he had for later consideration. It was a mission. He needed to get back into the swing of things. Not let himself get too comfortable with his somewhat new life. He'd gotten soft back at home...

He gave a wave to Kelly and motioned slowly to the Corn fields, which were thankfully grown tall enough to hide them. The forward scout of Blue Team acknowledged with a green light. John turned to Kurt and Sam's position and showed them to take as quick and silent a route as possible. The sun had begun to set and, in-between the crevasse's walls, John could see the amber light start to fade behind other peaks.

The team advanced under the approaching cover of darkness, in-between the corn stalks, slowly and steadily, keeping eyes on their motion trackers. Lights started to flicker in the houses and docks along the river and within the city itself. Civilians coming home from work... The Spartans moved past police patrols and into the back alleys of Undertown, following a traced path on the map that led to the target area. They found themselves in need to evade a crowd every so often... But they made it to near their destination...

John scattered his team around the target building and looked back. The soldier squinted, his helmet polarized and zoomed in toward several IFFs... Red Team members were openly divided between multiple pathways that could help them get out of the meeting point. Green was in about 750 meters out on a taller building. John looked toward the bar and saw three cloaked persons exit it... One looked jittery, another seemed at the ready for combat, despite her hands being hidden behind her cloak and the third seemed to scan the area around... John noticed small bumps on the top of her head... Faunus features. Probably ears...

... Could they be...?

The woman, a dark-skinned, amber-eyed beauty with claw mark tattoos on her cheeks turned to greet the Chief's gaze. She noticed the polarized faceplate in the darkness and nodded to them... He nodded back, then showed his team to stay at the ready as he saw the trio turn and walk toward them. The Spartans backed deeper into the dark alleyway and formed up, weapons drawn and at the ready...

The figures entered the alley and the leading woman took off her cloak, to reveal a pair of Faunus tiger's ears. They twitched as she scanned her surroundings and saw only the four Spartans present. She hummed, then asked in whisper "Are you here for the meeting?" and, noticing the Spartans didn't even flinch, she spoke again "There's been a change of plans... We need to leave Mistral."

... "Are you a council member? And if yes, what happened?" John asked and noticed Kelly seemed suspicious... As did Kurt's feeling of oddity grow, from the looks of his almost imperceptible movement. His finger, though barely moving, twitched around the trigger of his MA40... He noticed the woman frown and shake her head... Something went wrong, or...

A white uniform appeared from behind the cloak of the jittery one. An elk Faunus... And the Spartans raised their weapons. The White Fang members ahead responded in kind, with the leader drawing a weapon resembling a rope-dart, but with the rope replaced by a chain... She seemed worried, became twitchy. She shook her head toward John... The other one, a somewhat lighter-skinned girl, drew what looked like a rapier with a whip function.

"White Fang." Kelly muttered, shouldering her shotgun. "Knew somethin' was off..."

"Please... We just wish to talk..." The woman in the lead said... She looked to her guards... "Amitola, Vermillion, stow them..."

"B-But, ma'am, they-!" The girl sputtered, clearly surprised, her skin turning a shade of amber... A Chameleon Faunus...

"No, Amitola. Do as I say. A shootout is the last thing we need right now. Especially with SWORD troops like them and _doubly so_ in a crowded area." The leader ordered, lowering the rope dart and throwing it to the floor. She raised her hands, revealing the intricate, almost Asian-looking outfit she wore and several more tattoos on her arms... As her subordinates tossed their weapons into a pile with the woman's, she looked to John, concerned, then spoke softly "Please, understand... It was the only way to get to you..."

John looked around... He had around a dozen extra guns with Green and Red's pointed at the woman. He raised his hand in an open palm and slowly moved it down, lowering his own rifle. Kelly scowled, her face obscured only by the amber visor, as she too lowered her shotgun. Kurt and Sam followed, lowering their rifles, but keeping the safeties off. The Chief hummed, then ordered promptly and mechanically "Speak..."

"Not here." The woman shook her head, seemingly concerned. "They have ears everywhere... We've got a safehouse, located within range... I'll explain everything there."

"How do we know you won't just try and kill us the moment we get to the location you've pointed out?" John asked pragmatically. He saw the woman's eyes lock onto his visor, almost staring past it and begging for a chance to explain herself... He sighed. He _was_ getting softer thanks to Beacon. He cocked his head back to his team and said "We'll go for now. If it turns hostile..."

Sam rolled a pack of C12 on the tip of his finger before John could finish. He gave his best friend a nod, then looked to the woman and said "Do anything harsh and I don't think I need to explain what will happen."

"Of course..." The woman nodded and her expression softened into a faint smile "Thank you..."

John waved them forward and looked toward Linda and Fred's IFFs, pinging them both into a single-beam com with the single order "Wait." Before stepping off to follow the woman with his team. Midnight had come and the more they stayed in this place, the more they risked being found by the Mistrali government. A political incident like this between Vale and Mistral could spark a conflict... And John knew that was the last thing anyone needed. This op would be buried with him and his team.

Entering a run-down house in the midst of a dozen other similar ones, the woman took a key out from one of her pockets and slid it into the lock, before twisting. The door opened with a click and the woman pushed it, before walking into the darkness. The Spartans formed a perimeter, keeping their eyes on the Motion Trackers as they scanned the surrounding alleys and paths, then entered the building, closing the door behind them.

A faint light, from a candle, flickered on in the hall. John watched as the woman took off her coat and set it on a hanger, then waved them into what was probably the living room. Her guards did much the same, with the female chameleon revealing she wore a strange undersuit beneath it and the elk Faunus hiding a single handgun. Shabby defenses for whoever she was. He looked to Kurt and Fred and gave a slight raise of the head toward the other rooms, then showed Kelly to follow him inside. The two went off to scout out the place as Chief and Kells entered a well-furnished living room with a corner sofa, a holo-vision and, of course, boarded up windows. Because who wanted to be seen...

Two candles burned slowly on the table ahead and a lighter stood on the side. The woman sat herself down on one side of the couch, with her guards taking positions behind her, backs against the wall... She motioned to John to take a seat too. Sighing as he had to be polite, he seated himself down and the sofa let out a long creak. Kelly flanked him, standing behind his side of the couch and eyeing the guards with suspicion, as they did her...

The woman leaned forward, sighing, then said "Forgive me for the inconveniences... Spartans, I believe you were called...? I did not mean to cause any confusion or worry, but the situation within the White Fang has... Deteriorated." with an apologetic and worried look. She noticed John staring at her, hands interlaced as he leaned forward to listen to her. She continued calmly "I know of the... Attacks... On Vale and its citizens. Whilst I... Uhm... There is no good way to formulate this... Whilst I agree with more violent forms of protest to gain my race equality and equity, I... I never wanted the people under my command to go _that_ far..."

She shook her head "You may not believe me, but I _never did_ order the Retaliation attack, nor the... Terrorist action that occurred at the Cafe in Vale." then took a photo out of her pocket and tossed it on the table, toward John. He picked up the paper and looked over the face of a red-haired man with a Grimm mask and a pair of bull's horns... Sienna continued "It was one of my sub-commanders, Adam Taurus, that ordered these attacks, believing the only way to answer to your people would be with strikes such as... These. And whilst I do know that trust between the Fang and its former supporters worldwide was broken after these events, I have had a hitch in trying to bring Adam to justice..."

... Of course... "What kind of hitch?" John asked, examining the face of the bastard.

The woman's face turned serious as she asked "Are your forces aware of something called the _Shadow Doctrine_?" making John turn to her. He set the picture on the table, then leaned to her and nodded... They were aware of them, of course. She hummed and pursed her lips, then continued "It seems that, after a thorough check of Adam's messages, one of them was from an unknown contact... From what few of my men, specifically those who survived the encounter with Adam before the situation went sideways, discovered the two words in one of the messages."

"So Shadow Doctrine got to the Commander of the Vale Branch and decided ta fuck with the rest of it. Sounds like we're gettin' a peek into their MO, Chief... The ONI spook may want to know about it when we get back." Kelly spoke calmly. Despite wincing at Kelly's newfound accent and will to speak expletives, John had to agree. Whatever Shadow Doctrine was doing, it was meant to get a message to the White Fang... And perhaps them.

The Chief shook his head. Something smelled fishy... "And I presume we're here to evacuate you because... You berated your former Subordinate about the attacks." He stated, noticing he may've hit a cord, and continued "But something went wrong, he killed a few of your men and, in the process got found out and... I will presume, tried to murder you too and blame it on us."

"..." The woman, dumbfound, had to admit, the Spartan's deductive reasoning was pretty good...

"How'd you-?" the one she called Amitola, the Chameleon, seemed shocked...

The Chief shrugged, then turned to the leader. "You want us to evacuate you... What's our guarantee you won't stab us in the back once you're in Vale? Try to be a thorn in our side again? We did wipe your entire operation there without a second thought."

"I've got no reason to. The only people still loyal to me are the ones behind me. Adam must've already told the others how I was assassinated by one of you." Sienna sighed deeply, leaning back. The Chief hummed... And the woman recalled "I don't think you know my name..." before John shook his head. The woman nodded to him and said "I'm Sienna Khan... These are my subordinates, Ilia Amitola, our scouting and espionage specialist."

"Mhm." Ilia gave a nod.

"And Tulip Vermilion. Last of my honor guard loyal to me."

"Greetings." The twitchy elk gave a nod.

"Do you have names?" Sienna asked in a more friendly manner.

"None we're willing to share now." The man hummed... "Run us through what happened at your HQ, miss Khan. And don't forget any detail. Shadow Doctrine presence such as troops, armaments, armor symbols, whatever you can recall. Whatever you can't, let your subordinates interfere if they remember." Before looking at Kurt and Sam as they entered the room. He nodded to them, then gave Kurt a signal to ping Linda and Fred. Tell them the situation...

He needed info... Fast...


	41. Hot Drop Into Mistral P2:The Shadow Hunt

**_White Fang HQ... Two days ago._**

Despite her best efforts, it seemed Sienna was not able to find Adam's intentions. And the messages from this 'Shadow Doctrine' group irked her to no end. She didn't know what they promised him, but she knew too well there was something wrong with it. Her doubts must've been heard by whatever force drove the Universe forward as she stood up from her throne. Adam had burst into the room, blade drawn and a dozen soldiers carrying strange equipment having joined him. The soldiers wore heavy body armor, carried odd rifles and had helmets that covered most of their heads, with diverse attachments depending on the role of the Trooper, supposedly...

"Adam... What is the meaning of this?" Sienna asked, arm going behind her back as she drew her own weapon. She watched Ilia move about at the top of the Hall, slithering on top of the pillars..

"Your policies, just like those of Ghira, are too soft for the White Fang, Lady Khan..." The man sneered, the sword shining scarlet in the lights of the hall. He pointed it at her and said "Our new allies will help bring what the Faunus need... Supremacy over humanity, as it was always meant to be!" And stepped aside as, into the room, a woman with dark-blue hair, metallic claws, amber eyes and several Fox Faunus features appeared.

"Greetings, Lady Khan... I'm afraid your organization needs a reform from the top down to better... Suit the ideals of the Faunus or my Employers." The woman smirked, bearing a pair of elongated canines, fangs, and extended her claws. "You can come along peacefully into the new Status Quo provided by my Employers to your rowdy band of mutts, or join those thirteen poor guards you sent to bring mister Taurus in."

Several guns cocked and the Honor Guard readied their spears as Sienna too prepared her weapon. She took a defiant stance, glaring at the woman with blue hair, then growled "I would rather _die_ than give up my place... This is treason, Adam." And she turned her burning gaze toward the Bull Faunus, whose lips contorted into an inhuman grin. "Why do you betray our cause?"

"Because they promised me what I want. What I know _all_ of our people want, Sienna." Adam stated "Freedom from humanity..."

Sienna shook her head "You are so _deluded,_ Adam... I'm so sorry I couldn't find out about this group you've been seduced by earlier... I may've stopped you. We may've been able to stop our downfall." and again looked to the woman in the center of the Soldiers, her ears 'following' as Ilia moved overhead, probably picking a target. She squinted at the metal-clawed Squad Leader and, with a scowl, asked "What is it that your Organization... Shadow Doctrine, I assume... Is trying to achieve?"

"Only what we promised to Adam." The woman chuckled. "Shame you won't live to see it... Troopers. Take aim."

The dozen guns in the room cocked toward Sienna and her guards. The woman started to spin the Rope Dart around her right hand, then said "You want my life, Traitors!? COME AND TAKE IT!" before cocking her head up and giving a nod to Ilia... The Chameleon girl jumped from the roof, her skin turning back to its normal color. She plunged the tip of her rapier-whip into the back of one of the Shadow Doctrine infantrymen, sending him to the floor with a crackle and snap of electricity. She whipped a second one's gun away and kicked him down, before raising her whip again and trying to strike... She gasped as the clawed woman caught the whip and wrapped it around her metallic forearm, burning artificial skin away in a sizzle...

... Said woman, now with an inhumanly vile grin on her face, simply tugged at Ilia's hold once and the girl flew toward Sienna's feet. Gunfire erupted around them and two of Sienna's Honor Guard were caught in the first Volley from the Shadow Doctrine troops, but the Leader of the White Fang was able to block several shots by using the spinning Rope Dart as a shield. She jumped in front of Ilia, shielding the girl from the bullets, before yelling her battle cry and throwing a Fire Dust Dart toward one of the SD troopers, nailing him right in the eye of his strange helmet, cracking glass... The Fire Dust crystal inside detonated, splattering the man's brains onto the floor. The corpse collapsed with a thud...

The Honor Guard managed to draw their pistols and open fire, joining up in a phalanx to defend Sienna... The handgun-caliber rounds bounced off the plate carriers on the Shadow Doctrine Special Forces, or struck walls as the Troops scattered to take cover. The woman in the lead deflected the rounds with her prosthetic arms and Adam cut them out of mid air...

"Lady Khan!" One of the Guards yelled to her as he fired his gun "You need to leave!"

"No! We stand our ground!" She ordered, watching as Ilia got up and readied her weapon. She nodded to the assassin, then continued "This is our home! If we leave, we'll have let down every Faunus!" before, with a few acrobatic moves, throwing three more Rope Darts toward the woman. Two hitched onto her metal arms and exploded, but did no damage safe for minor charring. The third was cut out of mid-air by Adam. His blade shone a dull scarlet and Sienna knew better than to stand and wait for him to slash.

But before she could dodge, a guard jumped in front and pushed her aside. The Auric attack left a wide gash on the man's chest, cutting through the light armor, uniform and the man's very chest. Droplets of blood fell on the red carpet as the body fell. A Shadow Doctrine gunshot got lucky and nailed a guard in the head as he was returning fire, but Ilia managed to block a follow-up that would've killed one of the newer guards. Vermilion.

Sienna watched as Adam closed distance and readied her weapon, a new Dart already installed. She dodged a slash from Adam, kicked him in the chest, spun and slashed an X on his chest with two concurrent wide-arc strikes from the Dart tip, but the boy's Aura held. She kicked him away again and threw her rope dart toward him, but the boy deflected it and took a stab at her. The blade clipped some of her dark-brown hair and slightly scratched her ear... And a second stab was expected to come, but the Honor Guard's commander parried it with his spear. He had three bullet wounds in his side and blood foaming on the corners of his mouth. The raven Faunus, however, stood his ground.

"Sienna! GO!" The man ordered, thrusting toward Adam even as blood fell to the ground. "If you die, the true White Fang dies with you! We'll hold them off for as long as we can!"

... The woman watched as her friend dueled the bastard traitor with every ounce of strength he had left. He looked to her and gave a nod, to which she squelched her worries and nodded back. With a grim look on her face, the woman ordered "Amitola, Vermilion, with me! We're retreating!" before she sent a dart into a locked door in the back and blew it open. The trio dashed out of the place... And the woman leading the squad let out a growl. She let her squad execute the rest of the guards and barked to Adam "Leave the Commander alive! He'll give us the information we need!"

Adam gave a nod, before growling and kicking the man to the floor and pinning him there with his boot, blade next to his throat...

 ** _Back in Current times. Safehouse..._**

"... And that is what occurred..." The leader of the Fang sighed...

"Well, that went poorly for you." Kelly quipped.

Sienna glared. Kelly didn't flinch... And John sighed. He nodded, then asked "You expect us to get you out now?" to which Sienna nodded back. The Chief stood up and looked to Kurt as he strolled back inside, MA40 ready... Chief had a nagging feeling that something was gonna go wrong. He drew his rifle, then waved the Spartans to form up, before saying "We've got incoming..." As he noticed the Pings on his Motion Tracker.

The Spartans readied weapons, as did the members of the White Fang. As gunfire rattled from the outside, six rounds punched through one of the wooden panels covering the windows. Five of them went wide, but one struck John in his faceplate. His shield was down and the glass nearly shattered from the bullet... But it _didn't..._ His Aura must've kicked in, but the shot still sent him reeling. He raised his DMR and said "Khan, Amitola, get down!" before shouldering the magnetic super-rifle and setting it to max power. The two Fang ladies took a knee and Chief shot at the dot that was straight ahead of him at max power... The round punched through the wood panel, shattering it at the core and slamming into a Shadow Doctrine infantryman, whose skull pulverized.

"SHADOWS!" Chief called out "SPARTANS, ENGAGE!"

Kelly stood up and, with a grin, blasted away at a Shadow Doctrine trooper that kicked in the front door, sending him to hell. Kurt's AR chattered and a short burst dropped another one to the floor... The rifles these guys came in with looked like stripped-down MA5s with Silencers and ACOG sights. Their weapons coughed return fire and the rounds pinged off Kurt's SPI suit or went off Kelly's shield. A second shotgun blast sent a bastard into the drywall on the side.

Sam's AR barked from outside and two more Shadow Doctrine troopers fell. He spun about and stopped a knife from going into the back of his neck by raising the rifle. Drawing his sidearm, Sam dumped five rounds out of the M6 Mag into the soldier's stomach, sending him to the floor. He looked at his MA40 and saw the knife was stuck right in the feeding mechanism... And it dented it. Damn, these guys must've had some strength...

He yanked the knife out of his rifle, slid the damaged weapon on his back as not to leave it to the foe to examine and fought back with his own knife and sidearm. Armor-Piercing rounds pinged off at steep angles from his armor. He parried a strike from one of them, spun his arm around, snapped it at the base, then stabbed the man in the throat and emptied his pistol magazine. He dropped it, loaded in a fresh one and fired again. His first shot missed as the Shadow Doctrine Infantryman ahead of him dodged and brought his own knife to bear. The blade struck Titanium-A plating and pinged off, but didn't break.

Sam kicked the bastard down to the floor and heard the cracking of bones. He raised his sidearm and executed the bastard with a headshot. Their ballistic semi-powered helmets didn't do much to stop Magnetic weapons, it seemed... He turned about as he heard the thunder of John's bludgeon and saw a soldier tumble out of the building in a bloody heap.

He gasped as a literal shadow rushed past him... And John inside instinctively raised his bludgeon to parry an oncoming strike. The woman who attacked him was the same one described by Sienna... With a grin on her face, the woman feinted a strike which Chief tried to block and, with a speed only matched by a Spartan, brought her fist up from underneath, striking with enough strength to send the Chief doubling over.

"HEY!" Kelly raised her Shotgun to greet the bitch, but found it caught by a claw just as she was about to fire and pushed away, before the woman tried to bring her claws into Kelly's visor. The small fingertip blades narrowly missed Kelly's visor, skimming off the shield and making it shimmer, before embedding themselves deep into a wall. Kelly kicked the bitch off and tried to aim the shotgun, but felt it kicked away by a foot and looked to see Adam Taurus... The bastard... With his blade drawn.

Kelly drew her own knives and crossed them as Taurus tried to slash at her, before pushing the blade aside and headbutting the bastard. It cracked the mask he wore, but he doubled over and recovered. Kurt stopped him from going to Kelly by delivering a punch to his hip and grabbing his sword arm, before pinning him to a wall and wrestling the Bull boy. Meanwhile, Kells saw a cocked fist heading for her faceplate and raised her hands to stop it, blocking the full-power, augmented prosthetic fist from punching clean through her head. The hit kicked up a gust of wind behind her and the wall further cracked...

"Well, fuck me sideways... The Colonel wasn't exaggerating about you." The Fox Woman grinned. "You Spartans are really something else!"

"Fuck ye too, ye hoarse cunt!" Kelly returned, elbowing the woman's metallic arm as to push it away, before cocking back her own fist and aiming center-mass into her stomach. The strike was stopped by a Shadow Trooper raising his Rifle and firing into Kelly's back, making her stagger as her shield flared and went critical. The leader of the bunch kicked Kelly away into the cracked wall, before trying to claw at her again...

A Dart passed by her face and she staggered, trying to recover from failing the attack, before feeling a surge of electricity go through her Aura. Cocking her head, she saw the Chameleon girl striking at her and grinned, before turning about to grab Sienna and her... A second Rope-Dart struck her chest and detonated, sending her out through another drywall into the kitchen of the place and Sienna spun her chain around, wrapping it around the neck of a Shadow Doctrine trooper and tightening it until she heard the crack of the man's vertebrae.

Chief's rifle barked, shuddering the whole building. A round pulverized a Shadow Trooper's chest. The Spartan stood up, helmet off his head and a bit of a bloody nose from the punch, before turning to aim at the woman... And seeing her gone. He listened carefully through the gunfire, then heard a claw move for him. His Aura combined with his gene mods allowed him to dodge the strike and immediately bring a balled fist into the woman's chin... She flew into another one of the panels and stopped in it, before falling to the floor.

"Khan, Amitola, Vermilion! Move!" The Chief ordered and Sienna balked, looking at the wounded man, but chose to follow orders, nodding to her two soldiers. He slid his helmet back on his head and switched to a broadband, Platoon-wide encrypted transmission and called out "Spartans, prepare to fall back to the Evac point! We've acquired former White Fang assets requesting asylum and are on our way out! Be advised:Shadow Doctrine has engaged us!"

Acknowledgement lights lit green across his screen as he looked at the IFF tags appearing on his HUD... He looked to his team and said "Fall back! Get the Khan and her subordinates to the Evac Point!" before firing away at an extra platoon of Shadow Doctrine Infantry that just arrived in an APC. This one carried lighter kit and 21st-Century Earth weapons.

Exactly the Shootout that John didn't want when they started this mission had happened. He looked to Sam and made a quick series of hand signals. His friend gave a nod, pulled the C12 packet from his back and primed the detonator, before, with all his strength, hurling the semi-adhesive explosive toward the APC. The bomb landed just below the tank's raised body... It was a six-wheeled ATV with a single Machine Gun turret and capability to haul a Platoon's worth of troops... John gave Sam a nod and the man hit the detonator... The explosion that ensued flipped the tank onto its back... And Shadow Doctrine's little Lieutenant started following them.

A shot rang out from afar and a contrail of smoke passed by John's head. A Shadow Doctrine trooper with an AK had his blood splattered across the dirt... Linda was getting to work. As the Spartans fought and ran with their VIPs in tow, it seemed the fight had poked the Hive in Undertown. Some Criminals seemed to prepare to engage, others hid and cowered... Eitherway, John didn't want more combatants. He double-timed it with his team to an RV point with Red Team members. Said members opened up the moment the SD squad came into view. A second Sniper shot rang out, but somehow, the SD Lieutenant was able to deflect it by raising her hands...

As the teams approached the RV site with the Pelican, they saw the woman halt. She raised a fist and showed her team to halt too, before grinning a toothy, fanged grin at John and saying "A pleasure to finally meet you, Spartans! Especially you... One-One-Seven!" and giving a mock salute to the man. Everyone that got on the Pelican went bug-eyed, John included... The woman cackled, then said "We'll see each-other again! Watch your back... Shadows, we disperse!"

... And as the back hatch of the Pelican closed, John was left with more questions than answers... He turned to Sienna, to see her seemingly just as surprised as her team. He sighed, then said via Com "Foe Hammer. Send a ping to the Headmaster. Tell him of the developing situation in Mistral. And of our guests." before taking a seat next to his Spartans...

"Yes, sir. On it." The Pilot answered... Seemingly just as worried as them...


	42. Back in Black

**_AN:So the new Halo:Infinite Cin_** ** _ematic Trailer "Discover Hope" dropped online._**

 ** _Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-I'M FUCKING HYPED._**

 ** _God dammit, 343 really did listen. I can't wait to see Chief back in action! I really, really cannot wait to see Olde Chief back in the fray and kicking ass!_**

 ** _Anyways... Back to the mission at hand... I need a weapon._**

* * *

The Workshop was yet again filled up by the sound of machinery, as Yang found herself strolling into the place. Cortana wasn't here, nor was Halsey or Oppy, hence the only one working currently had to be... She guessed it, Ruby. Seated at a station, in a tank top and shorts as the heat of the summer started showing its fangs, Ruby was working on some kind of arm-mounted weapon... A metallic skeletal structure that wrapped itself around her arm. At the front was a strange, deep blue light and a set of accelerators similar to the ones Yang had heard were used in the UNSC/SWORD Guns made by Rubes.

"Working on _arm-_ aments, Rubes?" Yang dropped one of her usual puns, grinning as she saw Ruby jump from her seated position and raised the mounted exoskeletal arm(With her own behind it) toward her, palm open. Rolling her eyes, Ruby sighed and sat back down. Yang snorted, seeing Ruby's half-grin behind an apparent glare. The little red girl chuckled too as her sister sat herself down... Yang's brow quirked up as she asked "It a new weapon for the Spartans?"

"... Actually, it's... Kind of a secret project of mine." Ruby smiled. "This is a tiny part of it, but it's gonna provide a lot of extra firepower to us."

... Yang took a moment to process the armature, then it hit her... And her grin went wide as she asked "Ruby, please tell me you ain't making the Iro-"

"Iron Man suit, yep!" The girl smirked. "I got some plasma tech from the Alien guys that came around a while back and now I'm trying to see if I can integrate a similar system to allow a Plasma Thruster to function... Though for all I know, I could mistakenly make it a gun." And turned back to working on the electrical wiring on the metallic frame and weapon.

"Ruby..." Yang leaned forward, grin withstanding, then spoke "I don't think anything you make will miss a gun form..."

Her sis gave a nod, smirking. She put on her blackened welding goggles, then handed a pair to Yang and said "Put these on unless you wanna get flashed."

"Ruby, that's a thing you do to boys to mess with'em. Or if ya like'em." Yang jumped on the joke, winking at her sis and nudging her shoulder... Ruby sputtered and blushed, nearly dropping one of her tools. The Rose glared daggers at her sister through the obscured goggles while the blonde simply cackled, sliding the glasses onto her own lilac eyes. She watched Ruby work on the Exoskeleton with a hint of curiosity...

"Girls?" Penny's voice came through. Both the blonde and redhead turned to Penny. Ruby smiled and waved at her and Penny smiled back and waved, before approaching Ruby and asking "Ruby, are you making the Iron Man suit?!"

"Pennyyyy!" She jovially answered. Yep!" The redhead said proudly, finishing up the inner wiring...

Yang just now noticed Ruby had something shining in her chest and went absolutely fucking pale... "Sis, is that..."

"Power generator." Ruby smirked "Don't worry, sis, it's just a harness under my tank top, not the actual 'It's in my chest' battery." before showing one of the straps of the Harness holding the rounded power cell in place. Ruby turned back to her work and said "Considering that I wanted to do the suit and Doctor Halsey figured it out, she built me a miniature shielded Power Cell made of Lightning Dust and hyperconductors. Said that, by her estimates, it should give me power for at least 30 operating hours before needing a new crystal..." And she smiled and raised her arm as the Thruster powered "EUREKA! My baby is complete!"

"Sweet! Wanna go test it, sis?" Yang asked.

"I would be interested to see it work too!" Penny declared, smiling.

Ruby smiled, then nodded and stood up. "Actually... I think we can test it right here." She spoke, then turned toward some metal plating hanging off the wall in the back. Ruby aimed the arm at the target, smirked, then slightly closed her thumb. The weapon powered with a deep whir and a beam of Plasma ejected from the mouth with enough force to send Ruby falling back into Penny and Yang's arms... The beam of energy struck the intended target and punched a hole through it.

"OooooH MY GOD IT _WORKS_!" Ruby cheered, pumping her hands up in the air.

"Nice job, sis! That was awesome!" Yang cheered, grinning ear to ear.

"Indeed, quite amazing!" Penny clapped her hands together, smiling. Ruby looked at the exoskeletal frame, took it off and set it onto the table. She disconnected the wires from the harness under her tank top and said "That was awesome..." to herself, smiling. She turned to Penny, then asked "What's up, Penny?" watching as the ginger-haired bot friend of hers looked around.

"I've merely come to see your workplace." Penny's smile remained the brightest one Ruby had seen. "And I'm certainly happy to see your creative freedom isn't restricted."

"Doc Halsey's great, Penny! She lets me do all this cool stuff!" Ruby excitedly grabbed her friend by the hand. Yang chuckled and waved them off, before walking out of the place to let the two old friends interact. As she strolled off toward the dorms, a blue-eyed blonde caught her eyes. She smirked as she noticed the more tomboyish Jack Ivory stepping up beside her, looking at her scroll.

"Yo, Jack." Yang waved.

"Hey, Yang." Jack gave a nod back, putting her phone away "Where're you headed?"

"Dorm. Gotta visit team JNPR real quick." The brawler answered.

"Neat. Mind if I tag along?" Jack asked "Haven't talked much to JNPR."

"We haven't really met or talked all that much either... Feels odd, ya know? We're in the same school, we all hang around here because it's vacation, but we didn't share that much time together." Yang hummed, then looked up at the sky for a moment, noticing the broken moon appearing above them. Jack snorted, then looked to her and said "Looking to the Gods for answers, Yang?"

"Sorta?" Yang chuckled. She looked to Jack and said "So... How good of a hand-to-hand fighter are ya?"

"Oh, baby, you don't know the half of it." Jack shot back with a grin.

The Blonde Brawler next to her wiggled her brows and said "Well, we should spar some time. Would love to test out my ability to pin a fellow blonde." The two continued to stroll toward the Beacon dorms.

Jack winked "If you get that close."

Yang chuckled "How about a bet then, Jackie?"

"Oooh. You caught my attention, Yang. What kind of bet?"

"Whoever loses the spar has to buy the other a nice ol' drink at a bar of their choosing." Yang offered her hand to the fellow blonde... Jack gripped and shook it, then nodded, grin withstanding. The two continued to walk... Until they saw Cal and Daisy. The former was holding the latter up by one of her hands. Daisy stumbled every so often with her new limbs and her leg seemed to stagger a bit in movement. But otherwise, the girl slowly started moving like she'd once done.

Yang pursed her lips and began walking toward two Spartans, then waved "Hey, girls."

"Yang." Cal gave a nod, smiling.

"'Sup, Blondie!" Daisy smirked.

"How're ya holding up?" Yang looked to Daisy and winced at the wounds... The short-haired blonde shrugged and tilted her left hand to the left and right. So and so... Yang sighed, looking over the woman and noticing she wore her PT gear. The Spartans looked to each-other, noticing Yang's look of worry... The girl had a bit more of a motherly figure about her, they guessed, due to having to care for Ruby.

"Beh, I'm good." Daisy smirked. "We're soldiers. Wounds like this are bound to happen. I mean, didja look at Kat?"

"Noble Two." Cal reminded.

"Right." Daisy chuckled "We were just gonna go greet the Chief. They're coming back from a quick mission in Mistral. Apparently they extracted a VIP and her escort." and she noticed Blake running toward the Landing Pad inside the FOB... "Huh, looks like Blake knows about it too. Must be some high-level Faunus citizen or something if she's rushing in like that."

"Right... Well, guess the JNPR visit can wait. We're coming with." Yang nodded. Jack hummed in agreement. As the girls strolled into the FOB, they saw Echo-419 swing in to land. As it landed, a squad of Marines approached it with weapons on their backs. Blake, with a hint of concern, approached beside the Marines, sure that Sam was with the Spartans walking off onto the deck.

... The black-haired Faunus froze...

As the trio of VIPs escorted by John and Sam's teams stepped off onto the deck, the girl saw them. Sienna Khan, the Leader of the White Fang, was present. The two Feline Faunus caught each-other's glances and Sienna seemed surprised... Sighing, the woman bowed her head and stopped next to Blake, before speaking "Blake... I'm sorry for all we've put you through..." and stepped off.

... Okay, Blake had no idea what Sienna meant, but...

Sam stopped her before she could go after the woman, then said "Let's leave it to Command and Headmaster Ozpin, okay? I've got a feeling we caused enough of a political incident in Mistral, as was."

"What happened?" Blake's brow quirked up as she looked at her reading partner, eyes shimmering with worry. Sam shook his head, taking his helmet off and sliding it under his arm, before answering "Let's just say we were engaged by someone whom we've very little info on... The same someone that drove Lady Khan and her adjutants out of the Mistral HQ of the White Fang..."

Blake went bug-eyed... At first, the woman's heart sank when she thought that Blue, Red and Green Teams had arrested the White Fang leader and her officers for them to stand trial... What the Spartans went to was, however, a rescue mission, it seemed... And she didn't know if that was better or worse. Sam had told her they were going to Mistral to meet with a local about some new issue that had just cropped up. She didn't expect them to have had any actual problems, however... And noticing some of the markings on their armors-Bullet impacts and such-she could tell they had to have gone loud to get Sienna out alive...

"I'm worried, Sam... What'll the Mistrali government say?" Blake raised a brow.

The soldier sighed "As long as we didn't get filmed, they could think it was just two gangs going at it, but..." He shook his head "Kurt, Kelly and even I now have bad feelings about this. Something is off."

"Can you at least tell me who shot at you?" Blake asked calmly, but Sam could feel the worry in her voice...

"It's a really long story... I'm sure you can get more information out of our Covert Operatives than me. Speaking of, I should probably take the next flight over to the _Spirit._ John wants me to report to the Spooks about our findings." Sam said, before noticing the next bird coming in toward Beacon and touching down at one of the FOB's landing. He turned around and stepped to it, but felt a hand on his shoulder... Despite being shorter than he was by a bit, the Cat Faunus looked the boy in his blue eyes and, with an imposing demeanor, said "I'm coming with you... I wanna talk to your Coverts."

... Sighing as he was unwilling to risk arguing with the kitten at that moment, he gave a nod. "Alright..." then turned to Yang and said "You wanna join us too, Xiao-Long?"

Blake yet again nearly lost her composure, shifting her gaze toward a grinning Yang, whose arms were crossed... The raven-haired Huntress blushed at her partner, but Yang kept her cool, then said "Sure thing. Would love to actually see the _Spirit of Fire_ myself. Never really been to a Space Ship before. Plus... Can't lave my partner alone with a guy. Who knows how _hot_ things may get aboard said ship." and winked to Blake smugly... Sam didn't get whatever she meant, but it was clear Blake did as she stormed off to the Pelican, muttering something about 'Stupid Blondes'...

Hey, he took offense to that!

... The flight to Mt. Glenn was quiet... But the two later colors of team RWBY stared with wide-eyes as they saw what they couldn't believe. Aside from Mt. Glenn being more evened out, the city itself now had perimeters set up with rows of gun turrets lining walls and UNSC Marines patrolling the lower areas of the place... Grimm had been all but cleared from the area and the UNSC had set up a Forward Operating Base here as well, just above the crash site of the _Spirit._ A pair of gunships swung by them, heading off toward farther outposts in the mountains, among which Yang saw a Comm and Radar Station on the peak of the tallest mountain. Its antennae blended with some of the pine trees around.

"... How interlinked is all of this?" Blake asked, looking to Sam.

"Multiple tunnels snake through the mountains in-between each post. Listening, Communication, the FOBs and even the _Spirit_ are all being currently upgraded to link with the Railway system back to Vale and we're making our own electric train cars to ferry supplies between Beacon, Vale and the bases up here, in the mountains. FOB Glenn is, as you can see, fully under construction, but most of its main stations work, including the AA Gun turrets and anti-tank weaponry..." Sam motioned toward the Bulldozers working to clear Mt. Glenn's debris and the tall, bulky gun turrets situated on some of the buildings currently undergoing repair.

"You're planning on making Mt. Glenn a fortress, then..." Yang spoke softly. "Cool." She smirked.

"It and the Forward Ops Bases and outposts we're setting up in the mountains will form the Perimeter for Vale's defenses in case of anything major. The Engineering Corps has also started stripping the guns off of the _Spirit_ to mount into different locations. Archer pods are the first to go, including their ammo and armaments... We're making silos around Beacon for them, but the SeaBees are working at around 50 km away from the city and academy themselves." He explained. "The Deck Guns, meanwhile? Command's considering their placement in and around key locations within Vale... Add to that the MAC Gun, which we still haven't got a clue what to do with."

"MAC?" The girls' brows raised.

"Mass Accelerator Cannon. Based on Magnetic Coils and the principle of Electro-Magnetic Propulsion, the weapon itself can launch a conical tungsten-carbide projectile at around 6 to 7 times the speed of sound. It could easily hit over the mountain range here... But it's too big a weapon and spinal assembly to remove all together... We either do it by pieces or not at all... And we still have no idea where to put it if we even manage to safely detach it." Sam hummed... The girls seemed scared...

With all the stuff they've seen so far of them, the UNSC still managed to surprise and surpass anything even Atlas could bring to bear by a goddamn mile. The aircraft swung around and the girls saw one of a dozen reinforced titanium-plated bulkhead doors open, allowing the ship to slip into the cave system and, more specifically, into one of the landing bays... The aircraft landed with a metallic thunk and, as the back hatch opened, the girls were surprised to see the Deck Crew working quickly and efficiently. Multiple aircraft hanged on landing pads beside them and many were being tested and checked for damage after being pulled out of storage...

"Broadsword Bombers and Longsword Bomber/Interceptors..." Sam said as he stood up "Whose avionics are seemingly brand new..." and he walked out the back of the Drop Ship. The girls followed and they saw them... Soldiers clad in Black marched in a square formation. Their helmets and visors covered most of their faces and they hauled MA40 ARs...

" _Hell Jumper, Hell Jumper where've ya been!? Feet First to hell and Back again! If I die, please bury me deep, place my MA5 down by my feet...!"_ The troopers sang as they marched in quick pace. The girls saw them move past and the leader, a female Trooper, gave a salute to Sam, though seemingly reluctant. He saluted back, watching them stroll past...

"Who are they?" Blake asked, leaning past Sam.

"Orbital Drop Shock Troops. ODSTs." Sam answered.

"Do... We wanna know why they're called that?" Yang was morbidly curious...

"They jump from orbit in SOEIVs, Single Occupant Exo-atmospheric Insertion Vehicles, or as they're colloquially referred to by them and others, Drop Pods, land behind enemy lines and cause mass amounts of damage until the main force arrives. Cal worked with an ODST Platoon during her final mission, if I recall her story correctly... C'mon, Major Susan is waiting for us."

As the girls followed, the now-active halls of the UNSC ship brimmed with personnel milling about. From construction and maintenance workers to even Bridge officers(All saluting Samuel as they passed), the ship-turned-base had a lot of active-duty crew currently at work. The group took a turn toward the Crew Decks and walked toward a door which had a plate on its left, with the writing 'Major S. Susan, ONI' in blue bold letters...

The Spartan placed a hand over the Door Controls and it slid to the side, hissing as it opened... The ONI agent looked up from some documents she was writing, before waving the Spartan and two Remnant-folk inside. She stood up, walking past her desk and extending her hand, before saying "Petty Officer Samuel. A pleasure." and the boy shook it, giving a nod.

She looked over to the Vale inhabitants and said "I presume they're here to learn a bit about what you faced in Mistral..."

"How'd you-" Sam started, but stopped and sighed "Wait, ONI. You know a lot."

"That we do, Sam. That we do." The woman nodded, before sitting herself back down at her desk and pressing her palms together "So... I know, bare-bones, what happened in Mistral. You went to meet a political rep of Mistral's, but the snag was they were White Fang operatives and the leader, apparently driven out by our new friends from across the block:Shadow Doctrine..."

"That about sums it up, ma'am." Sam noted. "We were engaged by them."

"I see... Weapon types? Numbers? Any specific armor details?" The woman continued... She looked to the two girls and said "Make yourselves comfortable, girls..." Motioning to the couches. The two sat down and listened with rapt attention to the debriefing... She looked to Sam and continued "I don't presume you got one of their guns for me to see, right? I know they're using Old Earth guns, among which I recounted:HK416s, AKs and a mix-and-match of other projectile weapons."

"... They seemed to be using stripped-down versions of MA5s this time, ma'am. But no Armor-Piercing rounds." Sam answered and he saw a slight shift in the ONI Major's poker face. Almost imperceptible to anyone but a Spartan and a trained ONI agent... He continued "They were also using Ballistic Tactical Helmets with multiple attachment points, among which NVGs that linked directly, it seemed, to the Helmet's Heads-Up Display and didn't impede vision. Still very 21st-Century tech, however..."

"I wouldn't underestimate an enemy's technology based simply on looks, Petty Officer... Carry on." The woman nodded.

Sam responded calmly "There was an enemy... I don't know if she was Faunus or not, but she missed both upper limbs... Had them replaced, I don't know if by necessity or if by desire, with mechanical prosthetics that gave her enough strength to punch through walls. She also had what seemed like very resistant claws... As far as Kelly told me, they were and I quote 'bloody sharp things, too'."

"Any other discerning features from other Faunus?" The woman asked on, mouth hidden behind her hands and a look of gravity in her eyes.

Sam nodded "She had several traits. Slit pupils like a cat's, Fox's ears and a tail and even sharpened canines, resembling fangs, ma'am... She also knew the Chief's service number, somehow..."

"... Security breach, perhaps... If I get more agents, I'll have them scouring Beacon just in case..." Sue noted and noticed a look of surprise on Blake's face... She nodded to Blake and said "Anything you wish to add?"

"Faunus generally have only one trait..." She noted "Ma'am."

"Could it be gene engineering, miss...?" Sue knew Blake Belladonna and her file... Easy to gather data from destroyed White Fang bases and their still-working computers. She'd rather not creep a possible asset or agent out just yet. Blake hummed, tapping her chin, then said "Not sure. I don't think we have the technology to do things like that, with all due respect."

"I understand..." She hummed "Interested in finding out then?"

... Blake took a moment to register what Sue had asked... If she wanted to join her Covert Ops. "What would 'finding out' entail, ma'am?" The girl suspiciously asked... Sue snorted. She wasn't dumb, alright...

"A little part-time work with my agents." Sue spoke... Tail, ears, eyes and fangs... Fox... Hmm, could she be related to Mathias? She'd look into that at a later date... For now, however, she nodded to Blake "What says you, miss?" and Blake shifted uneasily in her seat... Yang looked to her with a hint of concern, then looked to Sue and pursed her lips, frowning as she thought...

"Hey, Blake." Yang nudged her friend in the shoulder "How about I join ya on this one? Y'know, a lil' investigative work... Give ya a familiar face to work with. Ya know, like a camping trip or something, but instead of fishing, we hunt for bad guys! Doesn't that sound cool?"

"My agents usually go in teams of two or three, so that could very well work..." Sue hummed...

Blake had to take a moment to consider the implications. She'd be working as an agent for a shady organization she had no knowledge about save for some whispers she'd heard from Marines(She got around) and, to balance it out, School Life starting back up within a month or so. Then again, it was very intriguing. A Faunus with multiple traits was as rare as platinum was in Remnant's own kingdom's confines... Sighing and relenting, she looked to the woman and calmly spoke...

"Alright... I'm in... Where do we start?"


	43. This is No Coincidence

Maria faked a glance at her wristwatch, looking over past her cap at the Schnee building across the street. Two SI Guards, both carrying what looked like .45 ACP handguns in holsters, stood by the glass front door, gazes sweeping over the crowds that walked by. A bus stop across from the Schnee Building was Maria's best cover for now. Beside her, she had Erwin and his sister playing rock paper scissors on her right and Matt with his features hidden and faking a nap...

"See anything, Countess?" Erwin asked in whisper.

Maria's eyes locked onto the pin on one of the guards' chests. "Just the two..." Before her gaze swept past him and she locked onto a trooper inside, who was escorting a pair of civilian workers... This one was wearing heavier armor and wielded an Old Earth gun... He also didn't have the same patch. The Romanian smirked "Bingo... It was quick, but a Shadow Doctrine Soldier just passed the main door. Saw the patch on his arm..."

"Think they're trying to be spotted?" Matt whispered, barely moving his mouth, but worried...

"Could be, Matt... Could be." Countess leaned forward, rubbing her eyes. "Though we've got the intel we were looking for."

She noticed their escape-more specifically, a bus, moving into the station. Standing up, the woman showed the kids to follow her. The trio followed quickly and they vanished into the alleyways, before taking a short detour to their Safe House. Matt arranged his clothes, then said to Countess "Think they were suspicious of us?" to which the woman shook her head.

"I think we're fine for now... I'll ping Sue back at base and ask her what she thinks we should do, though our best bet to gather more intel on their involvement with the Schnees is to actually infiltrate the building at night, when there's just the Security Guards inside." She explained to him. "If we start taking Heat, we'll have problems then." and she looked to the holster on her hip. The weapon had yet to be fired...

The woman looked back behind them, squinting... She'd heard or seen something moving... And she saw Matt's second set of ears perk up too. The Spartans turned their heads... And all four soldiers caught a simple glance of a black cat as it knocked down a trash bin and ran in the opposite direction. Countess sighed in relief;clinically paranoid, she was. But so was her team. She waved to the Spartan-IIIs and they peeled away from the troop, going somewhere else...

After returning to the Safe House, Countess had taken the time to step into Matt's Room, to see the boy attaching a pair of silencers to his SMGs and stowing them under his coat. She hummed, then said "The barrels are gonna be poking out of the back for a bit... Might want to turn the holsters to have the barrels pointing down... If that's possible." before stepping inside "How're ya holding up, kid?"

"I'm good." Matt gave a nod, smiling. "Can't actually wait to have my first try at an infiltration mission, to be honest... I've done them in the past, but never in coordination with a team."

"Stick with us and we'll show ya how it's done." Maria said, sitting down. "And if shit hits the fan, we've got a pair of Spartans in our squad and a quick 'Get the fuck out' button with bombs and a dropship."

"Speaking of those two... Where're they?" Mat asked, leaning back onto his bed.

"Told them to give me RECON on the building. Entry points, cameras, patrol patterns and all that..." The woman nodded "They went in with SPI suits, presumably." before sitting herself down in a wooden chair and saying "We've got a lot of stuff to deal with and considering the latest events, we-" She paused as she heard the thrum of her radio... Standing up, the woman walked to the kitchen, now followed by a surprised Matt. She leaned forward, took the transmitter and receiver into her hands and waited for a line... The static that came first soon cleared as the line was secured... And she heard a familiar voice utter " _We felt the rain, wind and hail..."_

"Then the thunder and lightning came..." Maria answered in whisper "'Sup, Frostbite?"

" _Got some food for you... Sad Day actually passed through Mistral, apparently. Went after Seven past Eleven and the Blue Water. Knew the exact hour."_ Sue spoke, maintaining the code that the ONI trio had set up a while ago. So not even Sue was aware if this line was properly secure, despite the system double and triple-checking. And apparently one of Shadow Doctrine's troops knew the Chief's ID Number...

"Thanks Frostbite, sounds like we'll be busy... I'd maintain that the Sad Day is not gone yet. Gonna be looking over my shoulder for a bit... Wanna ask, you Saw Day of Crows?" The woman hummed, looking over toward the street that led to the Schnee Dust Company building. She heard Sue sigh, then a single mic tap, before the line went dead. Maria stepped back and scanned the room, squinting. Matt wanted to speak, but the Romanian ONI agent raised her index at him. 'Keep quiet', she showed him. 'Place could be bugged'.

He nodded...

... And yet, Maria didn't see, nor had she heard anything to ID a possible bug after a quick Electronics sweep. Shaking her head, she said "All clear..." and drawing her pistol. She felt her standard-issue Scroll vibrate, then looked to it. She nodded to Matt and said "Grab your weapons. We're going in now." as the sun began to set on the city of Vale... A while later, the duet of Human and Faunus met up with the Spartans... And Matt froze for a moment as they were almost... See-through.

"Holy-"

"I see the SPI Suits are working still." Countess observed, smirking. Matt seemed surprised... So he regained his composure and gave a nod to the Spartans. They nodded back and approached the duet, their M7 Mag Silenced SMGs on their thigh mounts. They opened up a paper map and started pointing out entrances. One back entrance used by staff to dump useless papers, the front entrance and some side entrances in the form of windows. The inside layout was basic... Three offices on the right, bathrooms on the left and the reception in the front and center of the First Floor. Second floor had several more offices, including the corner office that served as the CEO's as well as the Break Room and the Guards' and Security rooms... Multiple cameras were marked on the makeshift map by the Spartans, with their interlocking Fields of View also outlined.

Maria whistled "Nice work, kids."

"Thanks." Erwin gave them a nod, before drawing his SMG "I'd recommend getting to the Security Room first, to disable the Cameras. We'll give a signal once we're done so you two can come inside."

"Got it. Matt, with me. We're finding a nice spot to hide in." The woman waved the boy with her... The Spartans strolled off, their SPI suits powering on. The duet vanished in the night, only visible to each-other via their IFF tags on the Heads-Up Displays. Slowly, as their Motion Trackers powered, the two Spartans strolled to the back door and pushed it open, before sweeping the area ahead with their SMGs and going in... The Cameras, thankfully, couldn't see them. The new Infiltration Systems of the SPI suits made sure that any electronics would have a hard time in spotting them.

Two pings showed up on their MTs. Two guards strolled past them, exchanging small-talk. They were SI Guards wearing simple uniforms and the usual kits... Erwin urged his sister on, past the Offices and toward the main stairwell that led to the Second Floor. A single guard was seated behind the reception desk, playing a game on his Holo-Computer and every-so-often looking over the counter to see if anyone tried to slip inside... Poor bastard...

Mary took point, sweeping the second floor. Her MT picked up more guards... Two of which she saw moving past them on the stairwell. They worked in pairs, but none could see properly. Walking down the stairs and saying hello to the guy behind the counter. The two took a turn and moved toward the Security and Guards' Rooms... The trip was quick, silent and went almost unnoticed...

Mary's MT picked up three guys inside the room. She raised two fingers and her brother nodded, readying his SMG... The two stacked up behind the door and Mary raised three fingers now... Countdown:Three... Two... One... Go. They breached the room, their SMGs coughing. Five guards, one of which was seated at the CCTV control station, all fell dead. Erwin closed the door behind them and went to work on the CCTV, shutting off all cameras.

After giving a _signal_ to Countess and her new protege, the Spartans went to link up with them down below... They saw Maria knock out the guy behind the counter and drag him out of sight, before forming up with them, her M6 SOCOM at the read. With a nod, the woman looked to Matt, who had both his SMGs at the ready... The Spartans strolled up with their aides and moved toward the Corner Office... No movement inside.

They walked in and closed the door... Maria smirked, then took out her scroll and went to the computer, before saying "Well, we've got intel to nab, boys and girls... Let's get to it. Find any files you can take, anything that seems the least bit important, Matt. Mary, Erwin, go to the Guards' room and see if you can find the Shadow Doctrine op we saw on the stakeout."

"Roger." Erwin gave a nod... And the two once again disappeared outside...

Matt started pulling files from binders and books, looking through them and searching for any mentions of Shield Industries, Schnee Dust Co. and Shadow Doctrine... A few files matched a few lines, but nothing conclusive so far... He handed Maria binders which she photographed and slid back into their places as her Scroll's systems worked to hack into and link with the CEO's computer...

"Nothing conclusive so far..." Maria said, looking over a binder. She slid it back into place, then took out another and looked into it... Huh... 'Dust Shipments'... She looked over the Data and saw some of them didn't match addresses in Vale. More like outer Villages and such... Flipping a page, she saw... A conversation Transcript...? She read through it quickly... It had... Codenames on it... Hmm... Why the hell would a Schnee CEO keep a Transcript here? And especially of a convo like this...?

 ** _[TRANSCRIPT-016, SD-0091312;SD EYES ONLY, ID:[REDACTED]]_**

 _Charon(Calm):Hope you got good news for me, Slender. I had a shit day today, what with [REDACTED] being away..._

 _Slender(Lax, ignoring, working on Computer):Shipment you asked for's being sent toward the local Militia in that village at the ass-end of the Kingdom. Why's that place so important anyway? It's just a (INAUDIBLE)hole where the people would steal your wallet faster than you can say 'hello'. And that Sustrai guy doesn't feel like a business partner I'd want. Much less so for Big Daddy. If he finds out all the way back in the Ice Kingdom, he may pin any mishaps on me._

 _Charon(Calm, sounds of typing in background):Calm, Slender, calm... It's a place meant to allow us to stock our supplies for whenever Fender decides to start more in-depth operations. A penniless Village in need of defenders is a pretty (INAUDIBLE) good cover story, don't ya think?_

 _Slender:Whatever... Doesn't mean Schnee Dust Co. isn't happy. We're getting paid after all... Any news about Big Daddy's daughter?_

 _Charon(Audible Sigh):No, we haven't found her yet. Rumors are she's in AO:Flare, but Mauve and [REDACTED] are actively working on it. Same for tracking down Catalyst. They did find Catalyst though... Seems he's protected by quite a few lines of armed men and women. [REDACTED] gave him a bit of a wake-up call as far as I heard, during the [REDACTED]_ _operation to deal with [REDACTED] and her Mutts._

 _Slender(Irritated):Well... (INAUDIBLE). Any word on [REDACTED]?_

 _[REST OF TRANSCRIPT REDACTED]_

"Huh..." Maria pursed her lips. Bastard must've slipped. The Transcript was in a folder called ' _To Burn Later_ '. She took a photo of the Transcript and said "Let's move it... Got some info Sue may want." before seeing she also acquired several emails that were of seeming importance. She copied them onto the Scroll, slid it out and showed Matt to follow. The two slipped out of the Office and noticed that Erwin and Mary had just stepped out of the Guards' room... Erwin made a slicing motion 'No Joy'. The guy must've left before they'd come in... She sighed, then showed them to follow.

And without anyone knowing, the four slipped out of the back door again, unnoticed. And in the night, after the mission was accomplished, a Black Pelican slipped into the back area of the Safe House and vanished just as quickly, returning the crew of the intelligence team back to the _Spirit._ Just more information to add to an already convoluted enemy, it seemed...

 ** _Ozpin's Office. A few hours earlier on that day._**

Sienna found herself flanked by multiple Spartan Supersoldiers as she waited for the elevator to climb up to the top of Beacon Tower. She shifted uneasily as she scanned the ironclad infantry, feeling a pit in her stomach. The man that rescued her, the Master Chief, and his team, were kind enough to fill her in on what had been going on in Beacon since after the assault upon the White Fang bases here.

She looked back toward Ilia and Vermilion and nodded to them... The elevator dinged and the door slid open. The Spartans marched outside in a formation and split to allow Sienna to see the man and woman behind the desk. Headmaster Ozpin smiled as he leaned back into his seat and welcomed Sienna with a friendly nod. The woman beside him, clad in a Labcoat, looked at the woman with a poker face... This was Doctor Halsey, if Sienna recalled the vids correctly.

"Lady Khan. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Beacon... I trust your flight here was... Less eventful than your extraction?" Ozpin spoke with warmth, standing up and extending his hand. Sienna gripped and shook it, then said "A bit cramped, Professor. But nothing I and my guards could not handle... Thank you for such a rapid response and forgive the... Erm... Trickery. I doubt the Spartans would've come if it was the White Fang asking for help."

Ozpin hummed "With this new threat, 'Shadow Doctrine' at our doorstep, Lady Khan, I don't doubt they'd have understood the gravity of the situation." And his gaze shifted to Halsey, who nodded.

"Indeed." The Doctor spoke calmly. "Do you or your soldiers have any injuries, Lady Khan?" She then asked, giving the woman a once-over... Sienna felt chills simply staring at the blue-eyed, black-haired Doctor. Like something was completely off with her... That or she held high respect from the Spartans and the Professor himself... She didn't want to get on her bad side, she felt.

"None for now, Doctor... All thanks to your Spartans." Sienna respectfully nodded...

"Good... Professor, do you mind if I ask my question now? I may need to go help miss Rose out soon with her project." The woman's brow quirked up.

"Certainly, Doctor." Ozpin nodded.

"Ask away." Sienna gave the woman the courtesy... And froze as she saw the woman faintly scowl...

"Who was the commander of the Vale Branch that ordered the terrorist attack in which Chief Petty Officer Daisy was caught?" The woman spoke with almost as cold and dangerous a tone as you'd hear in any seasoned veteran that someone managed to piss off... Sienna felt a lump in her throat, but spoke in answer "Adam Taurus... May... May I ask why you want to-"

"Because my Spartans need a _target_ , Lady Khan." Halsey stated with a hidden venom in her voice "And I think the man that _injured_ one of their sisters and killed dozens of civilians with a single order would fare pretty well as far as targets go... I trust and truly hope he was _not_ given that command by you, unless you want to give them... And myself... Something to work out our _anger_ on..."

Sienna swallowed, pursing her lips and shook her head "N-No..." She stuttered. "I may be a more... Violent... Leader to the Fang... But not even I would go as low as bombing innocent civilians, Doctor. As for Adam, I fear getting to him may be a little harder than you might expect." She looked to Ilia and gave the girl a weak wave forward. Ilia stepped up and handed her leader a black Scroll... She extended it to the Doctor and Professor and said "He's with Shadow Doctrine now... I know not what he was promised, but... I fear he may use the events in Mistral to take power in the White Fang, align them with whatever this agency is and..."

"Use all of the Fang's available assets for their clandestine operations..." Ozpin sighed. "May I suggest using the CCTS to send a message, Lady Khan? To Menagerie."

Sienna nodded. "I was planning on making sure that the Belladonna family were okay as was..."

"A good plan." Halsey gave a nod. "I'll be off. If you need anything, Lady Khan, ask one of my Spartans to guide you to the Laboratories and Workshop." and with that, she walked off. Sienna watched the woman leave and noticed even Ilia and Vermilion had chills shoot up their spine as she looked at them. The Spartans seemed calm, however... And 117, most of all.

Khan looked to Ozpin... "She's scary..."

The Professor snorted. "That she is... Shall we continue the debriefing, Lady Khan? You're a guest of ours now..."

"I see..." Sienna sighed. "I want to help fight the Shadow Doctrine. Is there any way?"

"There's always the Covert Ops." John suggested. "Or the Marines... Headmaster, we'll head off and stow our gear for now. Good day." And they got a nod from Ozpin. Stepping off, the armored giants all somehow fit perfectly into a second elevator and left the White Fang members and Headmaster to their own... Sienna's debriefing went about as expected, with the woman learning many new things about the Spartans, the UNSC and SWORD... And many more things such as the _Spirit of Fire_ and what it now served as...


	44. Prepping for a Shindig

**_So I feel like a bastard for asking for this, but I gotta do it anyway. I've started up a account just to gain a few extra bucks while writing, considering I'm gonna be in my final year of high school soon enough and may need money... So, yeah, if you could please go over and... I dunno, if you guys and gals want to donate or not, but I figured I'd ask anyways..._**

 ** _pa t reon com jj121341h_**

 ** _(Complete it with the necessary dots and such)_**

* * *

 ** _Aboard Unmanned Transport Aircraft..._**

Seated in her chair, looking over supply manifestos with a calm grin on her face. In her mechanical hand resided a tablet and seated beside her was a squadron of Shadow Doctrine's most elite soldiers. They were delivering a new shipment of toys for their staging ground, as provided by an Atlesian Robotics Industry baron that was aligned with their views. She hunched over, looking toward the crate in the far back and said "Well, boys... I've just read what the hell we're delivering."

Some of the Troopers looked to each-other, than to their CO. She smirked and said "It's the latest model of Unmanned All-Terain Vehicle. The UGV-16 'Reaper'. Nasty 30mm rotary cannon loaded with hardened Fire Dust cartridges. Can punch through a wall of reinforced concrete and still kill whatever poor fucker's on the other side... And by Command's orders, we'll have access to some of these mean bastards in our next mission!"

"Hooah!" The soldiers cheered.

"Speaking of our next mission, Command has just briefed me. We'll be working with that Vacuoan Mercenary, as well as Lilac and that downer of a shapeshifting fuck next to her. Our objectives are as follows:Make our way into Vale, secure ourselves an FOB in what used to be White Fang territory and start causing trouble." The woman had a more vile grin as she continued "Command also provided us with a very dangerous chemical weapon... XM-13 Gas." and she saw some of them freeze on the spot... XM-13 was a powerful chemical that caused burns both on the inside and, when inhaled or ingested, on the inside, effectively turning whoever it touched into a blackened husk within the span of seconds... Rumors had it it was also fucking painful all the while.

"Don't worry, boys." She leaned back into her seat "It's in airtight containers with three safeties, meaning we'll need a high-ranking officer to release it..." before her grin was complimented by what sent chills up the soldiers' spines. She spoke softly "So don't piss me off, m'kay? Unless you want to become a Guinea Pig for the gas yourselves." before watching the UTA's computer start up changing directions. She stood up, slung what looked to be a revolver into a holster on her hip, then said "C'mon. Asses in gear. We're landing."

The Unmanned Aircraft, resembling of a silver arrowhead, spun about to touch down. It had a pair of wing-mounted propeller-based engines that kept it aloft, providing VTOL Capabilities. Behind it were a pair of heavy-duty Jet engines whose roar began to fade. The propellers angled, allowing the triangular vehicle to touch down on three skids in the center of town. The soldiers carted the boxes of equipment out of the back of the vehicle, with Kuro coming out last and sniffing... She sighed in a relaxed manner, grinning, then said sarcastically "Aaah. I missed the rancid air of this shithole." before looking down and noticing Dewitt there.

"Well, howdy, part'ner." She quipped, stepping off and scanning the town of houses made of sheet metal, plaster and rotting wood. She also noticed some dirty kids playing in the background while unmarked construction vehicles worked to build three things:A functioning road, an irrigation system for the dying crops and, finally, a well to supply both the town and that irrigation system. "See you're still doing the good samaritan shit."

"Have to." Dewitt shrugged "Not a fan of shooting Civvies in the face to get what I want."

The woman, bearing her grin still, said "Well, my guy, that's where we're oh so different. I don't mind shooting anyone in the face as long as it both gets me what I want and my point across." before looking to her men as they unpacked the Reaper Tank... The damn thing had four legs for All-Terrain movement, with tracks on the inner part that allowed them to move faster and not sink in muddy terrain. The 30mm Gatling Gun was housed in a turret with multiple aiming systems. And it was fully autonomous... As were most Rotte Robotics vehicles. Except the ones meant for Shadow Doctrine had a difference. They weren't linked to the CCTS System and internet like most Atlas Drones. They had their own system...

She watched the vehicle's Gatling Gun emerge from the rounded turret and spool up. Its feet extended and allowed it to stand about a meter taller than her. Smaller defensive systems in the form of an Automated Machine Gun appeared from the top, with its own sensor suite. It identified Shadow Doctrine troops via laser scan of the dog tags in their armor. She looked over to the tablet and tapped in a few lines, linking to it, before inserting the commands not to target unarmed organisms... For now.

She looked to Dewitt and said "I'll play along... But if the Civvies start fucking with us, command's gonna pin your ass for wasting XM-13 on some ass-end village." in a warning tone, before stepping off to a simple glare from Dewitt. He watched her soldier pack follow her out toward the Barracks set up in the center of town, before rolling his eyes and walking toward the construction crews. Kuro was a bitch, but she was the Colonel's favorite Military Officer...

Annoying, but okay...

* * *

 ** _Beacon FOB._**

"No..."

John stepped away from the Armory, helmet slung under his arm as Cortana tailed him.

"C'mon, John! It's just a little break from your job. Would it hurt you to join?" Cortana sighed... The immediate response was another calm, cold negative from the Spartan as he walked off. Cortana understood that the whole situation with the Shadow Doctrine had become increasingly more dangerous than he or she had originally expected, so the whole ordeal was riding on them figuring out what the Doctrine was planning(and how they knew his ID Number) before anything else... But a little R&R wouldn't have hurt him.

"It's just a party, John. Seriously..." The woman crossed her arms and glared at him. "Would help you ease up a bit... You've been tense ever since Shadow Doctrine first showed up on our sensors."

The Chief sighed deeply, then turned to her and said "On that point, it's also time wasted by not searching for Shadow Doctrine. They just made a couple of major moves and one of our Operatives discovered that they're working with high-ranking Atlesians _and_ stocking weapons within Vale's borders. It's the Insurgency under some new form, Cortana. And you know every Spartan will be trying to extinguish it before it becomes a problem..."

"John..." Cortana eyed him... She knew him well enough to know he'd have the drive to end whatever the Doctrine's plans were for Remnant, but for now, she needed him to understand a few things, among which being the fact that the Chain Of Command now didn't go anywhere above him and Captain Cutter and that, if he wanted to, he could take a rest. They had Operatives working on Shadow Doctrine...

He sighed, turning to meet her stern gaze with his own. She spoke again, her expression softening "John... You've been at war for the better part of almost 30 to 40 years of your life. Now, whatever Forerunner Force shipped us over to Remnant decided to give you your childhood back, kept me in working order and transferred almost a thousand of the UNSC's unsung heroes to rebuild their lives here. You've gone through the Covenant, the Flood and even the Forerunners and the echoes of ancient humanity that are the damned Prometheans..." And she approached him, placing a hand on his chest and looking up at him. Softly, she said "Please... Just this once, this Sunday... Take a break and enjoy some time off with friends you haven't seen in decades... With me."

... The Spartan paused, looking at the woman before him. Despite only knowing her for as little as 7 years, compared to the decades he's known the Spartans, she'd become his anchor and his closest friend. Sighing deeply, the Spartan nodded, defeated, and said "Is it formal or informal wear? Because... I'm considering a little surprise from me and the boys." and he gave her a smile... Cortana's entire face lit up... And without a second thought, the AI turned human hugged her close friend, wrapping her arms 'round his waist and nuzzling her face into his shoulder... John, slightly taken aback by his companion's sudden behavior, sighed again. He wanted to hug her back...

"HEY, CHIEF!" Daisy's cheerful yell made Cortana jump back, eyes wide... The woman appeared in the door, a grin on her face and her arms crossed. John finally got a good look at the prosthetic limbs attached to her and held back a wince. Cortana pursed her lips, a bit worried... But Daisy seemed to be taking it in stride. She smirked, then said "Why the long faces? There's a party coming! Our first actual Party! And I hope both of you are coming, 'cuz Yang said it's in dedication to SWORD and our work!"

... Ah, yes, the reason for Yang hosting a party at a rather large and well-known club in Vale. The girl had pinged everyone's scrolls about wanting to host it at Junior's Club for SWORD, to celebrate the organization and the people within it. A sort of 'thank you' from the blonde, for some reason or other. The rest of team RWBY also wanted to assist with that and it would seem they succeeded... And some rumors surfaced that Doctor Halsey was part of the Party's planning staff, but it wasn't confirmed.

The Blonde chuckled "I and Cal are being dragged by Weiss to get ourselves costumes, since, I quote 'Ladies should not wear dress uniforms to parties'. And she told me to drag your ass along too, Cortana... So, c'mon." before walking up to and grabbing her by the hand. She looked over to the Chief, then said "Sorry to take her like this, Chief, but Weiss is pretty damn insistent on it."

"Got it..." Chief nodded. He waved to Cortana as they walked away and she waved back, smiling... Chief chuckled, putting his armor away. He walked out of the Armory, before taking a turn for Beacon itself and noticing Evelyn. He gave the bunny gal a nod, which she returned with a mock salute, before saying "'Sup, Chief!" with her usual Jovial tone. "Haven't seen ya in a while."

"Been busy, as you can probably tell..." John sighed. "How's everyone?"

"Well, let's see... Jack and Yang are visiting team JNPR, Penny's with Ruby and I'm just here..." The bunny girl smirked. "How're ya doing?"

"Aside from a new enemy showing up? I'm okay." He said, arranging his Beacon uniform... He hadn't been out of his armor for a while. This felt even weirder...

"Heard about'em... Oz recommended I join the ONI Gang hunting for info." Evelyn noted, walking beside him. John raised a brow... And she smirked "And I may do that after the party. Yer coming along, right?" to which John nodded simply. The Bunny Gal's smirk grew into a grin as she said "Well, hope you'll enjoy it. Jack's also tagging along... It's been a while since we did anything as a team."

... John felt an actual pang of guilt at that. He enjoyed the girls' company and hadn't spent so much time with them and he was supposed to be Team Lead there as well...

He _was_ growing softer...

"Sorry about that... We'll figure something out to where we can all tag along together aside from the party." John said almost as if in promise... He did intend to get both his Spartans and his friends from Beacon together, now that he thought about it... It may help cohesion between the UNSC and the Huntsmen and Huntresses. The two paused upon seeing a Spartan in the Gardens... In one hand, she wielded an Energy Sword. In another, her Bowie. And facing her, the Arbiter. A harmonious dance of Energy Swords between the girl and the Elite came into full view. Six parried and maintained a good moving defense, while the Arbiter, in his own gracious manner, held his firm offense, trying to find a way to sneak an attack in.

Chief and Evelyn looked to each-other and the bunny grinned, before they walked(more like ran for Evelyn) over to the dueling combatants. Chief also noticed Rtas "Vadum and NOBLE Team in a corner, watching as the Hyper-Lethal Vector and the Elite Blademaster exchanged non-lethal blows. The two circled past the duelists and joined the spectators, before Chief turned to Rtas and spoke "What's going on?"

"Noble Six wished to test the Arbiter's prowess in a spar... So far, I am not impressed." Rtas spoke calmly.

"She's doing fine." Kat rolled her eyes.

"The Arbiter is... As you humans say 'pulling punches'. The duel would've been over in an instant if he wasn't." Rtas returned.

"Calling bullshit." Evelyn hummed, grinning "Six is a pretty tough cookie. Far as I heard, she killed a lot of your kind in close quarters."

"On Reach, when she was wounded, nonetheless." Chief added, crossing his arms. He and Evelyn only got a sideways glance from Rtas... They turned their attention toward the Fight. Thel swung his blade left, but Six dropped to a knee, dodging and bringing her Knife upward. The Sangheilli managed to catch it with his free right hand. The Spartan pounced jauntily to her feet, headbutting the Elite in the jaw.

Thel staggered, then shook his head, before dodging a downward swipe from Six's Energy Sword. The girl quickly doubled over and tried to bring the blunt end of her knife to the Elite's face, but he parried with his Energy Sword, sending sparks flying from the blade making contact with the Titanium blade. He cocked back his fist and gave Alice a mock grin, before delivering a punch to the side of her chest. She doubled over and recovered just in time to receive a hoofed foot into the chest. All the air left her lungs as she slammed against the trunk of a tree in the gardens.

She growled, crossing her arms and surging forward toward the Elite. Thel tracked her movement... Before she vanished behind some bushes. He scanned the surrounding bushes and, when he saw a figure appear, he tried to react, but was swiftly forced to enter the defensive as Alice's fist(and blunt knife) made contact with the Arbiter's hand. He caught them and found himself in need to block an Energy Sword strike directed at his 'chest'...

Only to realize it was a feint as Six's armored foot made contact with his chest, followed by the second foot. The Arbiter stumbled back as the Spartan female pressed the advantage, swiping and slicing with both weapons... Rtas seemed almost surprised, while NOBLE Team and Evelyn grinned... John simply gave Alice an approving nod which she caught, but continued to press the advantage nonetheless. Their blades clashed, sparks of energy flying off of them.

A grin crept onto Six's face as she maintained pressure, making sure not to leave herself exposed. Whereas she started on the defensive, now she'd caught the Elite on the back foot. She spun into a roundhouse, which the Elite barely managed to block. The kick hit his left hand, nearly making him drop the Energy sword, but he managed to regain his composure and stop a second strike from hitting by grabbing the Spartan by the leg and pushing her back, before charging forward and attempting to grab her by the helmet...

The two's energy swords wound up mere inches from the other's throat... A Tie...

Thel nodded and complimented "Impressive speed, Spartan."

"Not so bad yourself, Arbiter." Six said, standing up. The two sheathed their weapons, before shaking hands. Chief looked over to Rtas, who respectfully hummed, bowing his head in approval. Perhaps he had misjudged Alice. She moved pretty well, for a human. Chief approached the Arbiter, who turned to greet him with a light, friendly nod. The two shook hands.

"Impressive display from both of you." He said.

"Noble Six's Hyper-Lethal rating is well-earned." The Arbiter said, before looking at John "If you care, we can go for a similar spar some time later, Spartan."

"We'll see." John gave a nod. "Glad to know you're enjoying yourself at least, Arbiter."

"Willing fighters are always a welcome sight." Rtas returned. "It allows combatants to maintain their edge, so to speak. How are things with this 'Shadow Doctrine' going, Spartan? We've heard much." And he walked up to them. Six twirled her knife between her fingers and looked to John too, before taking off her helmet. John looked over the entire group present, Noble included...

"Shadow Doctrine are something we don't know much about yet." He spoke calmly. "And we need all the help we can get to take them down... But for now, let's stow this discussion. I'm meant to be quote-unquote 'relaxing' and socializing." He sighed, before arranging his uniform. "There's a party coming which I'm also supposed to go to, I hear Ruby is working on a new armament set for some of us and for herself and that Doctor Halsey's in the party's organizer committee... A lot of weird things are abound here..."

... Yeah, a lot of them...


	45. Ashes Call, Cinder Fall

John approached the lockers on board the _Spirit._ He was glad to be back on UNSC soil or... Well, Titanium plating. He looked through a line of lockers that were mainly destined for Spartans sent to garrison the crashed ship while whatever few repairs could be done were being done. The Spartan found his locker and opened it with the code given by the Quartermaster, before he glanced through it. A Dress Uniform with his name, pins, medals and rank resided there. It was a near-perfect replica of his old one at home...

Prep work for the party had already begun not too long ago. He'd witnessed several Spartans don the ol' UNSC Dress Blues.

The Spartan watched as Sam appeared next to him, then said "What's the word?"

"We're gonna go on a global Shadow Hunt..." The boy answered, arranging his gear... He could see a flicker of eagerness in John's eyes, so he finished with "After the party."

John's shoulders sagged. "You too?"

"John, as much as I want to work on the hunt myself, right now, we've got to enjoy ourselves. This is the first leave we got in 40 years." Sam quipped, bumping John's shoulder with his fist. "So cheer up, will you? I hear Cortana's getting some sort of dress for the event." and he smirked, noticing John shoot a curious glance at his blonde friend... He arranged his gear.

"Any news on Ruby's secret pet project?" John asked.

Sam shrugged "Yang told me the girl's putting together a suit of armor with similar functionality to our own, so you know."

"Knowing Ruby, she probably figured something out." The Chief returned, arranging his bags in the locker. The duet saw a squad of Marines in full CBRN gear. Gas masks, helmets, oversuits, undersuits, guns and respirator backpacks connected to the masks. The Lieutenant of the Marines passed by them and gave a salute, as did the other Marines, before continuing on toward the Reactor, followed by a squad of engineers.

"Maintenance." Sam said, having turned only to greet and salute the troopers.

John hummed. Alright...

... Back at Beacon, meanwhile, in the Lab, Ruby's grin was unimaginably big. Standing up, wiping the sweat off her brow and taking off her goggles, she stared at her invention with pride. Scarlet and black in design as opposed to the original suit in the movies, this one was loaded with Rem-Tech, as it was nicknamed by Doctor Ellen Anders, including several types of armament. It was also more slim and, on the left shoulder plate, was Ruby's emblem...

The Mark I suit was completed. And it looked beautiful. Ruby smirked "Alrighty then, time to test it!" and stepped behind it, touching a system that was keyed to her biometrics. The back of the suit opened up into the human shape... The girl quickly donned a black form-fitting one-piece suit and detached the harness that held the small Lightning Dust Reactor in her chest. She slotted it into the front of the suit and heard her baby purr!

YES! IT WORKED! She'd half expected the suit to reject the Reactor...

Slowly, Ruby climbed onto the suit, locking her body parts in their allotted armor points. Arms in arms, legs in legs and chest in chest, that sorta thing. And the suit, sensing Ruby's biometrics locked into it, slid the back access shut, locking all armor plates back together and covering Ruby's back. The Operating System of the suit booted up and the Heads-Up Display that Cortana and Oppy had proudly programmed into the suit worked wonders.

" _Hello, Ruby!"_ The AI inside the suit said. This was a 'dumb' AI variation of Cortana's own OS, designed specifically for the weapons system. Ruby smiled as she saw all data flow into the sides of her HUD. Cortana had fondly nicknamed this little self-evolving Artificial Intelligence 'Excalibur', since apparently her name also came from a sword. Ruby just called her Cal.

"Heya, Cal! How's the suit looking?" Ruby jovially returned.

" _All systems are at 100%. Are we testing anything big today?"_ Cal returned.

"Propulsion." Ruby said "Give me around... 6% Thrust?"

... Just as Ruby spoke, she felt the plasma thrusters in her palms and feet fire. Slowly, she found herself lifted off the ground. "Woah, woah, woah!" Ruby started to struggle with keeping her balance. Her arms flailed back and forth as she tried to stabilize herself. "CAL, HELP!" She wallowed, trying to straighten her arms. WHY DID THIS LOOK EASIER IN THE FILMS!? Then again... Tony Stark had trouble with his first test flights too...

" _Ease yourself into it, Ruby. I'll work on stabilizing us."_ The AI said, slowly focusing onto the servos... " _Activating flight sensors... Wish to take it for a spin?"_

Ruby smirked, slowly trimming herself and adapting to the flight... This was gonna take some getting used to... But... "Keep me steady, okay, Cal? I'm counting on ya for flight stability! Let's _goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohmygoOOOOOOOD!"_

The suit and Ruby thundered out of the lab and up into the blue sky above Beacon at almost the speed of sound. "Hahahaha! THIS IS AWESOME!" The girl cheered, spinning through the air. With Excalibur keeping them steady in flight. She let out a loud "Wooohooo~!" as she veered right and flew over the Beacon area. She laughed and laughed, spinning through the air and maintaining flight, her HUD having adapted to flight mode.

The girl kept herself in steady flight thanks to Cal's intervention, enough so that she could enjoy herself. As she powered through to max thrust, the girl saw a cone of what looked like clouds form around her as she broke the speed of sound. Below, on Beacon grounds, a sonic boom echoed across campus and everyone who was still there stared up at the flying humanoid bot.

"Hahaha! Cal! Give me air traffic for the Vale area! I wanna go buzz the city a bit!" Ruby requested. The AI acquiesced.

" _Save for Atlesian vehicles, the Airspace is relatively clear. How low do you wish to fly, Ruby?"_

"Make it street level!" She smirked and veered off toward Vale.

" _I must say that is dangerously low, Ruby. Do you think you can turn in Vale's streets? It's a very narrow window."_

"Should be no problem, right? I mean, Tony did it in _The Avengers'_ New York... Can't be that hard in real life, can it?" She said cockily as she dived down. She appeared in-between the buildings, down one of the main boulevards of the city, grinning all the way through flight. Soon, she saw the end of the boulevard approach and prepared herself to make a hard turn... And just as she got to the corner, she couldn't turn properly and squeaked out an "OHNO!" before slamming into the wall of a building hard enough to leave an imprint of the suit on it.

The girl fell back onto the street and groaned "Not... Fun..."

 _"Not to say I didn't warn you, Ruby..."_

"Oh, hush..." The redhead sighed painfully, standing to her feet and noticing people around. She chuckled awkwardly, then waved and whispered "Cal. Flight, please." and jumping as the jets powered. She flew up, then sighed "Oh, gosh, that was awkward! Thanks for the quick escape!" before looking toward an alleyway. She noticed three girls surrounded by six of Roman Torchwick's formerly-employed friends... Black suits, red ties and all... "Oh... Hey, Cal? Non-Lethal weapons options. Did I install any?"

" _We have wrist-mounted tasers... Though they're pretty high voltage. I'd recommend aiming for the back or stomach, not the chest."_

"Gotcha. Bring us down..." Ruby said, turning downward... And soon realizing she didn't know how to land. So, flailing as she went faster and faster toward the ground, the girl screamed "NOTTHATFASTNOTTHATFASTOHNO-" and cut off as the ground where she landed cracked, a plume of dust going up into the sky... "Owwwwww..." She groaned again. Second time today she failed in landing. Slowly, the girl staggered to her feet beside the trio of surrounded gals and turned to them, her armor a bit dirty with dust and debris. She dusted herself off, then asked "You alright, girls?"

The trio nodded, surprised, before Ruby turned toward the red guys with machetes in hand and said "You bothering these girls?" grinning. The blue eyes of the helmet locked onto the leader, who took a step back. He tilted his head and ordered his men to charge... Ruby snorted "Oh, you poor boys." before stopping a machete strike with her left gauntlet and shooting the guy with the palm jet, sending him flying into a wall.

She grabbed another's machete, snapped the weapon's blade in half and punched him into a wall, before powering the wrist-mounted Tasers. The weapons emerged from their slots and powered. Ruby snapped her arm up and a targeting reticle appeared on her HUD. Locking onto the leader, the girl fired the wired prods into the man's chest, sending forth a wave of electricity that sent him to the floor. The second taser hit the penultimate bastard and he collapsed, convulsing, to the floor...

Ruby turned to the other one, a younger kid, who stared with fear at the girl in armor. He dropped the weapon in his hand and ran away. Ruby chuckled, dropping the used wires onto the floor, turning to the girls to give them a mock salute and flying off. She chuckled "That was _awesome!_ We need to do this more often..." and then she blushed "Ooor at least until I learn how to land without crashing..."

" _That we... Stand by:Detecting two Atlesian Aircraft tailing us."_

"Oh, boy... Can we boost to Beacon?" She inquired... And the engines roared, going into MACH again... After another very poor landing into the lab, Ruby had taken the time and liberties for herself to prepare for the party(and deal with any minor bruising left by her poor landing skills). Yang, meanwhile, had also prepared her clothing and such for the evening...

 ** _In other parts of Vale, however..._**

Cinder Fall, right hand woman to their Lady in the penumbra, alongside her two companions, Emerald Sustrai, the Thief and Mercury Black, the assassin, marched down one of the many alleyways of the Vale slums. The dreary conditions of some of the jobless people around were probably a stark reminder to Emerald as to where she had come from. But right now? Cinder didn't care much for remembrance of lives once lived... They had a mission. And things were getting severely more complicated than previously thought possible:Two new organizations showed up, one of which wiped their White Fang support in one evening operation and another that was too secretive for her liking... And the fact that they had to meet some new informant nearby to gather more support...

Not to say things weren't more interesting, it was just that Cinder preferred the usually _easy_ infiltration jobs given by their Lady.

Something had been tailing them in the shadows for a while now. She'd caught glimpses of heavy armor, of a green shine or a very narrow beam of red light passing through the dusty air. She raised her hand and said "Wait." to her two henchmen just before they crossed into a T Intersection in the alley. Beside a homeless man, seated to their right, now asleep and snoring with a bottle of liquor in his hands, there were other things milling about with them.

The crack of boots hitting the dirty, broken path below them sounded off. Cinder lit a ball of fire into her hand and gazed around, watching as a squadron of... Ten? Fifteen? Perhaps even twenty heavily-armored soldiers emerged from where they arrived. Their ballistic helmets' goggles shined a cold emerald-green. Their armors were of a grey of varying shades, in a digital pattern of camouflage for city operations.

"So..." Cinder hummed, holding the fireball that provided their light source in one hand "This is the now infamous Shadow Doctrine, I presume..." and she balled her fist, turning off the light. "Impressive, I must say." Night Vision was still visible through the darkness. As were the red dots pinned upon her and her adjutants' foreheads. A chuckle came from among the soldiers and the trio watched as they parted, to reveal a taller one...

A light-stick, or chem-light, of blue color, was turned on and tossed onto the floor, illuminating their surroundings in teal... And the black-haired woman went bug-eyed at the sight of the armored colossus before them. Wearing what looked like a blur instead of normal armor, that flickered in and out of view, the soldier standing before them was at least a head taller than even Mercury.

"And you must be Cinder Fall." The soldier said, a female voice coming out of the Helmet's speakers, slightly distorted. "One of the Witch's operatives."

"Mhm." Came the response as the woman crossed her arms. "Who might you be?"

Another chuckle. The answer came "Oh, my fair _maiden,_ I am just a soldier." and all 3 felt a chill shoot up their spine. Emerald, stupidly enough, went to draw her revolver-scythes, but the Spartan was quicker on the draw. A bullet whizzed past the girl's ear and struck the wall, but there was no gunshot to be heard. Instead, in the soldier's hand was a silenced pistol whose barrel still smoked.

"Now, now, don't be rash." She spoke, stowing the gun.

"Cut to the chase, then." Emerald snarled, glaring at the tall, lean motherfucker before them.

"In due time, kid. I'm talking to your boss." The soldier returned snarkly, before stepping up toward Cinder, who seemed calm. But in her eyes, the Maiden's powers shined angrily. Good, it meant the girl was still useful to her and to her boss. The soldier moved her hands toward her helmet, making Mercury take a combat stance, before she twisted her helmet to the left and pulled it out, the seals hissing as they opened.

A pair of scarlet, shining irises and black sclerae... But her face, otherwise, was normal, if a little paler than a normal human's. And her hair was caught in a relatively short ponytail. She grinned as she saw Cinder's reaction before speaking "Like the look, I guess? Old Doc got me these eyes, as he did with a few of my brothers and sisters." before raising her hand and showing her soldiers to lower their weapons.

"You got a name?" Cinder asked, staring up at the Super-Soldier before her.

"Alpha-Oh-Fifteen for you, Fall." The girl quipped. "My boss wants to speak with you... And through you, to your boss. A lot of issues have emerged for both of our factions that he thinks we could most likely deal with... Together. And achieve both of our goals." holding Cinder's gaze and maintaining her grin. Alpha had an advantage in this negotiation:At least 20 other troops to their three. And Cinder couldn't tell if their new 'friends' had Aura or not.

... "We'll make the contact." Cinder answered, unwilling to start a firefight now...


	46. The World Spins and Darkness Looms

_**A few hours prior to the Meet, around midday.**_

Sienna fell in with her escort of around 6 UNSC Marines, as did her comrades. And to say the UNSC ship was mind-boggling to them was an understatement. From the first step they took off the aircraft to now, Sienna had felt a sense of urgency, but also one of safety. She watched as Marines and other Troops and Non-Combatant personnel milled about the hangars of the warship. Dozens of men and women working cohesively to maintain, repair or rearm the UNSC's expansive array of aircraft and vehicles. It was surprising.

A pair of female pilots passed by them, giving Sienna a mock salute and smiling.

"I don't like this..." Ilia whispered. "Feels like we're being dragged out back to be shot, ma'am."

Sienna looked back to Ilia and said "Calm yourself, girl... We're here to talk to their chief of Covert Operations and settle our next course of action." before looking at the Marines. Two peeled off from the left and went to join a platoon, greeting each-other with hand-shakes, laughs and a friendly degree of expletives, but spoken with an incredibly friendly tone. Among them was a tall redhead clad in Spartan Armor. The Master Chief's sniper elite. Her helmet was removed and she was cleaning the strange sniper rifle she wielded with a degree of attention that you rarely see in other soldiers.

The emerald eyes locked with Sienna's and the steely gaze of the woman didn't attenuate. But alas, it wasn't a look of hostility toward the woman, more so of a silent sympathy. She nodded to Sienna, before turning her attention back to the rifle, letting the group of four marines and three former Fang members enter into the spacious Halls of the warship. Sienna noticed the small bulbous forms of CCTV cameras.

Two more Marines peeled off to a hallway on the right, leaving only a tall, lean man with a gas mask and shotgun on his back and a blonde woman with a strand of blue hair and an SMG on her hip to walk the trio of Fang members inside. Sienna pursed her lips, then spoke in inquiry "You two wouldn't happen to be Covert Operatives, would you?"

The blonde woman turned toward Sienna and smirked "Good eye, Lady Khan."

A guitar's thrum and the noise of drums came from within the door they turned to. Sliding his card into the access port, the taller man stepped inside, followed by the group. Seated at the desk, facing a man in Marine uniform and with dark skin, Also Known As Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, Sue sighed, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked past Johnson as the group walked in and spoke calmly "Just the people I was expecting. C'mon in, Countess, Spades. Fang members."

"Ma'am." The duet of Agents nodded.

Sienna had to admit... The Covert Ops Chief's room was cozy.

The woman spared Sienna and the other two a quick glance as she worked on parsing through strands of data. Sienna had caught, at first glance, around thirteen locations where a weapon was hidden, six cameras and maybe... Maybe... Two ceiling hatches that held turrets, as well as a security network that would allow the Office to become a panic room, reinforced doors, armored shutters and vent safeties included...

"I see you are clinically paranoid..." Sienna observed first.

That caught Sue's attention, her gaze switching from her tablet to Sienna... A small smirk was the response. She snorted and said "If you've been where I've been, miss Khan, you'd be like that too." And she motioned to the couches, offering "Please, take a seat..." and looking to the two Agents of hers. "Spades, I want both you and your to-be wife to listen to me. Secure yourselves a Pelican, grab Vahlen, Erwin and his sister and gear up. I caught wind through the grapevine that is the Rem-Net that something big's going on in the sandy kingdom. Mass protests in the capital and what-have-you."

"We'll deal with it, Frostbite." The shotgunner Marine nodded, crossing his arms.

"Countess." She turned her gaze over to the Romanian, who straightened up. Sue continued "I'm gonna need you and the Twins to hit Mistral again, while Spades goes with Vahlen to Vacuo. Get some info, maybe even contact the local Huntsman Academy headmaster. Something tells me that, if the response time of the Shadow troops there is anything to go by, they may have a base. I want you to find whatever rumors you can on that base... I'll keep in touch with both of you via couriers that Ozpin was so kind to provide to me."

"Gotcha." The Romanian smirked. She looked to Dunstan and said "Well, Dunny, looks like we're splitting again. Don't "

"Take care of yourself out there, wouldja? Dead wives aren't something I'm fond of." The Dutchman quipped. Maria snorted, then nodded. Sue waved them both off and the door hissed shut behind them. Sienna pursed her lips... They seemed... Nice? No, not the word she would use, but as far as couples went, it was probably the sanest one she'd seen for now...

"Should... We be worried?" Ilia's brow quirked up.

"No, not at all." Sue hummed. "Just rumors until my team confirms it... You are Ilia Amitola, right?" She looked up at the girl. "White Fang assassin and infiltrator as far as I know." and, noticing Ilia's eyes going wide, she continued "I've got some of your files from the computers of the White Fang bases. You know, the ones the Spartans and our men blew to hell."

"I remember..." Ilia hummed.

"Miss..." Sienna started.

"Frostbite." Sue hummed, writing up a report. "I assume you're here to talk about joining the Covert Ops branch of our little organization. And after the events in Mistral, I am frankly not surprised. A Coup d'état by Shadow Doctrine forces, a lot of Military-based issues and the Supersoldiers that came to rescue you probably gave you many questions you should ask. And some answers."

Despite Sienna feeling a chill, she managed to maintain her composure as she spoke "That's why I'm here, yes. To volunteer my efforts and those of my adjutants to you. A cooperation between us, if you will... My people think me dead thanks to the Shadows, an unstable boy took control and doesn't realize he's just a puppet to another organization, said organization is hunting me now..."

"We've got a war brewing." Hummed Frostbite.

"Is that the reason you ordered one of your operatives be sent over to Mistral, ms. Frostbite?" Ilia asked "The rumors?"

"About the arguments inside the Mistrali government? The Coalition not holding? Yes." She gave a quick nod. "Been rumors circulating through the internet that the Coalition Council can't hold it together anymore." and she shifted her gaze to Ilia, before continuing "I think you're in luck that you got out of there, lest you would've been caught in the crossfire... I'm sending Maria to get info on the factions in the government."

"You'll be working behind the scenes to fix our problems, then?" Sienna hummed, then snorted "Just like our leaders."

She stopped her chuckle when she saw the glare hidden behind a mask of indifference, rather feeling a cold, cold stab going up her spine. The woman took a cup that Sienna hadn't noticed and took a sip, before saying calmly and calculately "I assure you, Lady Khan, unlike your leaders, I know what I'm doing... And I know that, with good men and women, good intel and a good set of guns, we can win the war."

She leaned back into her chair, then spoke "So, Lady Khan... What is it you wanted?"

Sienna breathed in, noticing the seriousness of the woman, before returning a nod and saying "I wish to offer my services and the services of my kin to the SWORD... To revive the White Fang and return it to what it once was." and watching the woman's expression shift ever so slightly. She only leaned forward extending her hand and showing Sienna to shake...

She gripped firmly and shook...

* * *

 ** _... Shadow-occupied Village..._**

Seated in a corner in the small underground warehouse, where her own cot was, Kuro held an item clasped in her metallic hands. A photograph showing her as her much younger self, with her brother next to her, both playing, both laughing... There was also a third member. A girl with white hair and blue eyes, playing with them. All three of them were dirty and wet thanks to the snow.

"Matt..." She whispered, running one of her metallic fingers over the picture, a seemingly more melancholic look on her face than anyone was used to. Her amber eyes lay locked on the younger boy and girl as Memories came to her, of home, their small village, the cottage where her mother and father used to greet them, dad with a freshly-caught game and mom cooking or doing some sort of experiment with Dust. She snorted, remembering the times where she'd watch over her brother and the white-haired girl whilst they played alone, or with her, or even with their parents... Then her brother got exiled, she remembered not why and she never saw the young girl again either... But she knew the Schnee had something to do with it.

... And then their village was attacked... Twice... She gritted her teeth... Those damn Atlesian Bastards would pay wholesale for that...

Hearing the door open up top cut off her moment of reminiscence. She stowed the photograph in her chest rig and stood up from her cot, before asking "Who the hell's there?!" and seeing Dewitt coming down the stairs. She hummed "Here to retrieve me for something, Cowboy?" before crossing her arms. Dewitt pulled out a holo-display and tossed it to the floor.

The Holo-Display lit up and an image of the Colonel appeared before them. Kuro immediately snapped a salute. The colonel simply smiled, returning the salute, then spoke calmly "I see you're as busy as ever, Kuro."

"Sir." She nodded.

"Good." He hummed. "One of our newest agents has made contact with the Cabal in Vale. If all goes accordingly, we'll have a unified front against Ozpin and his little posse of supersoldiers. I'll be directly communicating to their mistress via one of her Grimm contraptions... I want your unit to proceed as planned. Find yourselves a secure location in Vale, start causing issues for them. Meanwhile, our agents in Vacuo and Mistral will ensure that our plans are carried to fruition. Hopefully, SWORD will catch onto what we're doing."

"Permission to stun the Catalyst if I see him on the field, sir?" Kuro asked excitedly, grin returning to her face.

"You chose your wording well... Permission granted." The Colonel nodded "Make sure he gets to us in one piece if he shows up during one of our operations. Got any idea on how to draw them out?"

Kuro's grin became wider, more vile "Oh, I've got a few ideas... Stacking Atlesian bodies would be one of them."

"I'd recommend you keep that to a down-low, my girl." The Colonel said. "You'll have plenty of time to deal with the Atlas military presence in Vale when joint plans are formalized with the Cabal..."

"How'd'ya know they'll listen, boss?" Dewitt asked absent-mindedly "Perhaps they don't like workin' with humanity..."

He shrugged "My good boy, I can be very..." And a vile grin formed on his face " _Persuasive..."_ before he turned to Kuro again and said "Continue with our plans. Prepare our arms depots around the Village and contact Merlot for phase 2. Tell him we're giving his Project:Janissary a boost." and he arranged his coat, before humming "Also, information came that SWORD Covert Ops are moving. I don't know where for now. Keep your eyes open and be ready for anything."

"Sir." The two nodded.

"Good day." He gave them nods, before his hologram vanished. Dewitt noticed the woman before him slightly shift. She walked to her cot and grabbed her sidearm and gear, before sliding her backpack on her shoulder and coyly asking "Ya gonna watch me all day, Cowboy?" before walking off. Before she could exit though, Dewitt grabbed her metallic arm.

"You alright there?" He inquired, brow raised.

She yanked her hand away from him, then said "Absolutely bloody fine. Why, somethin' wrong?"

Dewitt hummed, then leaned on the wall and said "Tuck that photo in better. May raise some questions."

The woman went bug-eyed, noticing the photo was partially out of the pocket. She slid it back in and closed the pocket, before regarding the man and giving him a curt nod. She walked out into the chilly night, staring up at the Broken Moon of Remnant. The Gods had come to their world and seeded it with life in the belief Humanity would take its rightful place and rule it. She knew she was slightly disposable due to her Faunus heritage and her very strange one at that... But she'd serve. For her village... For her mother and father...

For her Brother...

* * *

 ** _Mistral. Headquarters of the Imperial Rebirth Party._**

Clad in the pure white uniforms that were once staple of the Mistrali Empire's proud, deadly military and with gold lacing and inlay attached to their collars, with glistening rank pins and peaked caps showing the Rising Moon of Remnant, the members of the Imperial Rebirth Party, Mistral's own Conservative party of old, those who wished to see a return to form of the former Mistrali traditions, sat around their table in the Headquarters.

An elder man sat at the head of the table. Behind him, in a glass casing, a set of old armor resided alongside a Katana in an intricate sheath at its feet. The old, frail man seated at the head bore the ranks of High General with all the medals that came with that. He was old... Older than many may say they are. None truly knew his full age, only that he was heir to the man who led the Mistrali military in the Great War...

High General Kokai of the Imperial Mistrali Armed Forces was a man held in high regard by both old and young men present at the table. He was the leader of the Party now. His old eyes stared at the youth present at the table. And without hesitation, nor care for the guest on his feet just across from them, he spoke "What the Syndicalist Party has done today cannot be forgiven..."

The man in the corner, a representative of the Shadow Doctrine presence in Mistral, knew full well what the man was talking about... An assassination attempt against the Emperor's son. The only male heir to the Mistrali Empire's meager holdings. What the Mistrali Imps were woefully unaware of was the fact that one of his comrades had orchestrated the event. Just to further push their agenda here.

"And what do you suggest we do, sir?" One of the younger members present at the table spoke. "With all due respect, we cannot demand they be punished. The Mistrali Council will not hear of it."

"Captain Sayu, please." Another soldier spoke. He was around Sayu's age.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." The General nodded slowly. "What I suggest we do, Captain? The tensions are mounting in Mistral. The people demand an explanation for the intervention of Vale's new military organization, SWORD, in our borders. The Faunus demand to know the reason the Mistrali police allowed for their wench of a leader to be killed and the Syndicalist bastards are barking out how the Imperial Military could not intervene because we were 'too busy' to safeguard our people... What we must do is bide our time until we can muster the Reserves."

"Are you, perhaps, suggesting what I think you are, Sir?" The Captain asked, eyes wide. "The Emperor would shame us if we tried to-"

"Believe me, child, the Emperor would be glad to be back on his rightful throne!" The General barked. "We gather the Reserves and wait for the right time to strike! The Syndicalist Peasant militias will not hold against the trained armies of the Empire. Mistral will return to its rightful form once again and the people will praise us for bringing greatness back to the Empire!"

"What of the Council? What will they say?" Another officer inquired, this one a general.

"The Council will have no say about this... Their dream of a Coalition government has long ago failed, my boy." Kokai hummed, hands steepled together and hiding his mouth. The man in the corner struggled to hide a grin as their plan was going accordingly. Soon, the Colonel would have his will and the true mettle of the Mistrali will be tested, to see if they were worth the weight of their threats.

"So... It's war, then?" Sayu hummed. "I'll go prepare my Company, sir, if I may be excused." And he stood up. The General stood up too and bowed, to which the Captain bowed back in respect, before stepping out of the room. War was brewing. Frostbite was right. But not the type of war she would have expected. Not by a long shot, the war she was expecting...

* * *

 ** _Vacuo._**

The main boulevard of the capital city of Vacuo was filled to the brim with people. Banners waved in the wind, scarlet as blood. The desert tan buildings had protesters on the roofs and the squares were awash with even more people of all types. The people in the streets were the factory workers of Mistral. Clad in worn overalls, tattered clothes and with the marks of dirt and ash from their workplace's furnaces...

In the main square of the city, near the central pyramid that acted as the Royal Family's Palace, the Royal Guard, armed to the teeth and armored up, took position to stop the incoming Red Wave. Seated behind a barricade, a tan-skinned beauty with auburn hair watched as the crowds approached. Leading them was a banner-bearer and an officer cadre, wearing uniforms made out of the tattered uniforms of the factories...

On their arms were scarlet sashes, bearing a crossed hammer and pickaxe and a cog behind them. The Worker's Party of Vacuo marched in protest against a Schnee Representative that had come to check their Dust Mines and factories, demanding an increase of production and a decrease in salaries, to save profit whilst many a dozen Vacuoans died in the mines and factories under unsafe conditions. With a megaphone in her hand, the leader of the party, a scarlet-haired, pale-skinned beauty with brown eyes, stepped out from among the crowd into the front of the formation...

On her back was a rifle with a wooden stock and stamped steel from one of the local arms factories...

Katyusha Krasniya. The face of the Party, as well as its leader, stepped forth with a grin on her face. She spoke into the microphone loudly "ROYAL GUARDSMEN OF THE VACUOAN FAMILY! STEP ASIDE! WE ONLY WANT THE SCHNEE SCUM AND THE BASTARD KING AND QUEEN THAT SOLD US TO THEM!" with a calm demeanor. Her olive drab uniform with red linings and the peaked cap giving her the feeling of a commissar. She spoke on, proudly "THE WORKERS OF VACUO HAVE HAD ENOUGH, SCHNEES! WE ARE THE PEOPLE! WE DEMAND EQUAL TREATMENT! WE DEMAND SAFETY!

"WE DEMAND TO KNOW WE'VE A PLACE WE CAN REST OUR HEADS, NOT A KINGDOM WHERE OUR CHILDREN SHOULD BE AFRAID WHEN THEY WALK TO SCHOOL! NOT A KINGDOM WHERE THE ROYAL FAMILY LIVES IN LAVISH PALACES AND HOLDS PARTIES EVERY WEEK WHILST WE DIE OUT IN THE MINES!" She cried on, her voice full of a patriotic fervor.

"WE ARE THE WORKER'S PARTY!" She bellowed proudly, to the cheers of thousands. "WE ARE THE BLOOD OF THIS COUNTRY!" and another set of cheers "AND WE DEMAND THAT OUR PEOPLE LIVE WELL! THAT OUR COUNTRY IS OURS AND OURS ALONE! COME DOWN, COWARDS, DO NOT HIDE BEHIND FELLOW CITIZENS AND THE STAR PUPIL OF SHADE ACADEMY!"

"LADY ESCLADOS, WE BEG OF YOU! LEAVE THE BARRICADE! COME WITH US!" She faked begging "YOU ARE OUR NATIONAL PRIDE! DO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE BECOMING A MARTYR FOR THEIR CAUSE!"

"Bloody hell, this girl just doesn't know when to shut up..." Carmine murmured to herself, twirling her knife in the air. She watched as a Bullhead flew in up above, turning its gatling turret toward the crowd. She took out her scroll, linking to the PA system, then spoke "Dissolve, or we will open fire! Don't make me do this, Katy, or so help me the Twins, we will fill you all full of lead!"

Sighing, the leader of the Party spoke again "It seems there is no talking with them! BROTHERS, SISTERS, LOOK! THIS IS HOW OUR FALSE SYSTEM CORRUPTS OUR PEOPLE! LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THIS, FOR YOU WILL GAZE INTO THEIR ABYSS! WE WILL NOT LEAVE, ESCLADOS! WE WILL FIGHT AND WE WILL _DIE_ IF THE PEOPLE DEMAND IT! AND THAT, THEY DO!"

"Gods above..." Carmine hummed... It wouldn't look good publicly if the Vacuo government ordered their Security Forces to light their own people up. Sure, she had no qualms about it, but... Gritting her teeth, she spoke "Gunships, wave off!" before looking to the other couple hundred Guardsmen and saying "Hold here! Let them protest and, if need be, throw the first rock! We'll have all the right to killin'em later!"

This was a real shit-show...


	47. The Party Part 1:Dance

**_Junior's Club. 10:30 PM. The Party begins._**

The large club, house to some of the biggest parties in Vale's nightlife, was filled with teenagers from the different Huntsman schools and de-aged UNSC personnel alike. The large, crystalline dance floor, lit by neon lamps, spot-lights and other strobe lights of multiple colors, was occupied by a dozen people, dancing to the beat of a slower song from Earth that was selected by Doctor Halsey, but that seemed to have caught on.

Speaking of the good doctor, she was seated at the bar, grumbling and nursing her drink. She wore a knee-length satin dress and a pair of high heels. Well, wore... The latter were off her feet. And the dress was without a back, so she found herself needing to turn to face the dance floor. She arranged the glasses on the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

"Doc?" She heard a timid, young voice inquire and turned to be greeted by the sight of Ruby in a red dress, sash, thigh-highs and also wearing heels. She seemed embarrassed enough, her usually pale complexion red as a tomato. That gave Halsey a little moment to smile. Noticing Ruby was very, _very_ shy this evening, she motioned to the seat next to her.

"Well, don't you look beautiful tonight, Ruby." Halsey complimented, taking a sip of her drink as Ruby sat herself down.

"Oh, don't remind me! Sis and Weiss forced me to put this on!" She puffed her cheeks, embarrassed and avoiding eye contact with the doctor. Ruby then slowly turned toward the woman, noticing the smile on the woman's face, then said "You look great too, doc... I just wish Weiss didn't really... Y'know... Force these outfits onto us... I mean, wasn't my outfit good for this already?"

"Now, now, Ruby, we must appreciate when friends try to help us." Halsey said, noticing the White, Black and Yellow and team RWBY behind the young Rose. All 3 were in similar dresses, with only Yang wearing a dress different to her color. A snow-white, as it were... And Weiss seemed to be squinting at Ruby in one of her usual glaring moods, as she tended to have with her team leader.

"Still, c'mon! I get it, it's a costume party, I'm supposed to look nice, but I like my outfit!" She whined. "The dress feels odd, the shoes hurt my feet and I got nowhere to store Crescent Rose! What if I need it!? I get the whole 'fashion sense' thing with Weiss, but can't she understand we all have our own style and we'd like to stick to it? I mean... She forced Daisy and Cal to wear dresses instead of their uniforms and..." She noticed Halsey taking a big sip of her drink as to hid a grin... While an ever-angrier Weiss turned red with rage behind her.

... Halsey worked on her drink, innocently...

"RUBY ROSE!" Weiss hollered, sending Ruby sky-high as the girl let loose a high-pitched scream.

Yang snorted. "Nice lungs, Weiss." before stepping up to the Doctor and saying "Heya, doc! Lookin' good!"

"Thank you, Yang. I appreciate that." Halsey gave a nod. "All 3 of you look wonderful as well." And she looked at the stairwell leading down to the dance floor and up to the entrance, respectively. She checked her wristwatch, then said "I wonder where the boys are. John said Frederic wanted to drag the Headmaster out of his office too. Not sure how that has worked out for them..."

"Oh, they're changing if we recall correctly." Cortana's voice came from the left. Halsey and the others turned, to see the woman clad in a slim, blue, strapless dress that went down to the ankles and black stiletto heels. Behind her was Penny, wearing a green ballet-style dress with a black belt around the waist and a tutu. "Don't know where they are now, though."

"Hot damn, Cortana!" Yang whistled. "Lookin' hot!"

"Heh. Thanks, Yang." She nodded, holding her glass of non-alcoholic punch. "May I make a suggestion? Keep Kelly away from the alcohol. It's not that she gets drunk, it's more that she may drink the place dry..." And, noticing Yang's raised brow, she continued to explain "Spartan metabolism is different to a normal human's. Where you process alcohol slowly, they can drink gallons... A bit of an over-exaggeration on my part, but point comes across still... And not get drunk."

"Damn..." Yang hummed. "She'd drink my uncle under the table then?"

"Oh, pretty much." Cortana shrugged. "Still."

"I would presume it's still not very healthy." Penny added. The girl then turned her gaze to meet that of the white-haired Spartan known as Noble Six. She wore a standard-issue UNSC uniform. Her, Kat and Ahshi approached the group, to which Penny waved "Hello Noble Two, Six, miss Ahshi!" and got nods and smiles back. Kat was dressed in the same uniform as Six, hiding her robot arm behind the sleeve.

"So..." Cortana's brow quirked up.

"Where's the guys?" Yang smirked.

"Oh, hell if we know." Six shrugged. "I mean..."

Yang felt a poke and turned to a drooling Blake, blushing Weiss, a smiling Ruby and a Cortana that was biting her lip. She saw Blake pointing toward the stairwell... And Yang felt her heart stop for a moment, her face flushed red and hot... And it wasn't the only thing that was hot. Coming down the stairs, a platoon of several dozen guys walked into the party. Wearing clean, ironed and medal-filled Dress-Blues and with leather dancing shoes on their feet, the male Spartans and many of the Marines marched into the party, to the whistles of some of the girls and ladies of Beacon.

John was in the lead, trimmed hair visible, peaked cap under his arm and gloves in his right pocket. Beside him, Sam, a grin on his face as he strode down with the Chief, the two exchanging small-talk. Following them were Kurt, Jorge(pleasantly surprising for Six), Carter, Emile, Jun and many others, wearing their uniforms. Among them were also the boys of team JNPR, Jaune wearing a nice black suit and tie and Ren wearing a beautiful Asian-styled custom-made suit.

Then, there was Ozpin, cane in hand, smile on his face and an actual glass in hand instead of a cup... That was nonetheless still filled with Coffee. He wore a more fancy set of his standard attire, including a longer coat and a green shirt underneath, with a bowtie held together by the cog pin that represented his symbol. And of course, beside him was James, wearing a more clean and fancy uniform of his. He seemed uneasy, but made it so he could enjoy himself. Following him, Johnson, Forge, Anders and Cutter were among the party's final guests.

Yang let loose a wolf whistle, grinning as she watched the tall, lean Spartan boys descend, then spoke "Hot. Fucking. Damn."

"Thank God we convinced Weiss to let them keep their standard-issue Military uniforms." Cortana nudged Yang's arm.

Halsey was only smiling "Here's to hoping they enjoy it." before she took another sip of her drink. Some song by a pop star from the early 2000s came on by request of Daisy and Cal... And Halsey snorted, covering her mouth as she watched Daisy shaking her everything and clad in the weirdest dress Halsey had ever seen. Cal, meanwhile, was just getting down with the beat.

As John approached the crew with Sam, he opened his arms slightly, then asked "So?"

"Well, we can openly say your uniforms still fit." Cortana chuckled, blushing and looking away... God dammit, stop... She arranged her dress, then asked "What about me?" before twirling around. John felt a knot in his throat and swallowed, to which Sam immediately noticed a faint red tint on his cheeks. He snorted, then turned to Blake and nodded, smiling at her. Well, Blake definitely knew who she was dancing with today.

"Hey, John." Sam hummed, elbowing him in the shoulder as Cortana stared, awaiting approval

"Hm?" The Chief raised a brow at his friend, with a 'SAVE ME' look on his face. One Chief had never shown before. Sam snorted, noticing the little interaction not going into Chief's favor, then answered "How about you two find a more private corner to sit and chat?" And he pointed at a booth table in the back behind the bar. John nodded, then showed Cortana to follow him. Cortana turned toward Sam and gave him a thumbs up, which he promptly returned.

He then turned his gaze toward a red-as-blood Blake and smiled again, then asked "So, Blake... I'm not one who knows how to dance too well. Mind teaching me?" before extending his hand. Blake started to stutter, but before she could rush off or anything, Yang pushed her forward and helped her take Sam's hand, before saying "You kids have fun!" and backing off... Sam and Blake started to walk to the dance floor... And Blake glared flaming daggers in her smirking blonde partner's direction.

"That was..." Halsey paused "Something."

"Indeed." Ozpin smiled, approaching the gang at the bar. "Catherine. You look wonderful tonight."

Halsey turned to greet Ozpin and gave him a nod "Thank you, Headmaster. You, ms. Goodwitch and the General look great as well."

The other two responded with curt nods.

"So..." Ozpin's glance shifted over to the other side of the bar, where Kelly had already drunk three Second-Years under the table, a grin on her face and about a dozen empty glasses... And a very terrified bartender. Halsey rolled her eyes, then stood up and said "Excuse me." as she walked off to talk with Blue Team's little rabbit scout. Ruby looked over to near the stairs, to see Linda conversing with Pyrrha...

"Ooh! I'll go talk to them! And be as _far_ away from the dance floor as possible!" She said "See ya, profs!" and dashed off, leaving a trail of petals in her wake. Yang rolled her eyes, then sat herself down.

"It seems everyone is enjoying themselves." Ozpin observed.

"Yup!" Yang nodded. "Say, prof, where's Evelyn and Jack? Haven't seen'em around yet."

"Sadly, miss Damerot and miss Ivory will be joining us later on in the evening. They've had some business to attend to within Vale." Ozpin sighed. "Alas, I'll go see to helping the good Doctor with Kelly. Enjoy yourselves, girls." He nodded to them, stepping off toward the Spartan-Doctor duet. Yang watched as Blake danced with Sam, her shock now replaced with smiles. The song had switched midway through their chat, to a somewhat slower one.

Ironwood took a sip of his own drink, which he'd just now gotten, and said "So, this is Earth music..."

 _Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Lover of the Russian Queen! There was a cat that really was gone!_

Yang snorted "Apparently, Doc Halsey has something in common with the guy they call Johnson. That's music taste... This is some late 20th to early 21st Century song." and she looked to the General and miss Goodwitch before asking "Say, don't the Doc and Headmaster seem close to ya?" with a smirk. A glare from Glynda was enough to make Yang stow the subject... And Weiss rolled her eyes, watching Jaune approach.

"Excuse me." Weiss said, stepping off toward where Ruby was. "Not in the mood to deal with another dumb blonde."

Blonde number one laughed, then said "Alright, alright. I'll step off too. Gotta go see to the food."

And, leaving only James and Glynda together, the two exchanged glances, shrugged and drank in unison from their glasses. John and Cortana had found a nice empty spot to sit themselves down on that was away from prying eyes. And Cortana just now started to realize the implications. Grabbing onto the edge of her dress, she started to blush as she felt the alcohol she herself had drunk hit her hard...

She only drank one glass. _One._ And she was getting tipsy... She needed to talk to Papa Polendina about holding her alcohol...

"You alright?" John asked, leaning onto the table and looking at her. "You look a little red."

"Oh, I'm okay..." Cortana nodded, turning to face John. The two locked eyes for a good minute, before turning away quickly and both whistling, Cortana feeling whatever Penny put for a heart start beating like hell. Well, she figured that John was in much the same situation of duress. She twiddled her thumbs, looking around at the bar, the seats and the rest of the place.

"You sure?" John asked again, looking at her.

"Yeah." She nodded. She turned to John again, looking him in the eyes and trying to calm herself down.

John nodded, then hummed "I don't think I answered you... You look good in that dress." and he heard her squeak, straightening up with an almost broken smile on her face. Her face also severely reddened. John put the back of his hand on her forehead, then said "You're actually burning up... You sure you're okay?" And he looked her in the eye... Cortana, meanwhile, felt like she was having a heatstroke.

 _'Ohgodohgodohgod what is going on with me?!'_ Cortana thought to herself ' _I'M AN AI! WHAT DID PENNY ACTUALLY DO TO ME!? I shouldn't be blushing, be embarrassed or anything! It's just a compliment!'_

"I-I'm okay..." She nodded weakly.

"I'll go get you some water." John said, before pausing and looking to Cortana "Wait... Do you drink water?"

"... I basically have all the human functions?" Cortana shrugged "So yeah..." ' _Not that I'd need it though...'_ She then looked about. Just as John was about to stand up, she almost instinctively took his hand and yelled "Wait, John!" which caused him to look at her curiously, sitting himself back down, his cheeks also catching a bit of a rosy tint. Before he could ask anything, she simply said "H-How about we j-just stick around her for a bit?"

"Sure..." He shifted a bit in his seat, leaning back onto the booth's couch and looking at the dance floor as a crowd started to gather. He unconsciously put his arms onto the couch's top, one of them nearly draping over Cortana's shoulder. Noticing the little, albeit unaware, action of John, the girl shifted herself a bit closer to him, leaning her head closer... She felt whatever she had for a heart go haywire as it pumped whatever type of blood or liquid similar to it at record speeds. She was basically a giddy schoolgirl or something... She somehow didn't mind that idea.

"Guys!" Yang burst into the booth, scaring Cortana to the point the girl shifted back to her former position and surprising John. She smirked "You gotta see this! Sam started dancing to-" _MOSKAU, MOSKAU! Wirf die Gläser an die Wand!_ the song resounded... And Yang finished "That! C'mon! You gotta see this!" and she rushed off slowly.

Cortana glared at the blonde, pursing her lips as the duet stood up and went to join the crowd. And in the middle of it, they saw him. The blonde lovable dork of Blue Team in a weird crouched position, kicking his feet and with arms crossed to his chest, bouncing up and down. Okay, that was kind of hilarious for Cortana. Blake was sat in the midst of the crowd, laughing with Weiss and Ruby at the sight, a smiling Linda to their right and a cheering Kelly on the left.

The AI-turned-Human smiled at the sight of the Spartan dancing the Kazatchok and noticed Halsey joining them.

"Well... This is endearing _and_ weird to look at." The good Doctor noted, tapping her foot to the beat. She looked to John and Cortana and said "Well, what're you two waiting for? Join! This is a party after all." and she saw the Spartan and AI once again look in confusion to each-other. Halsey rolled her eyes, then spoke "John, consider this a standing order... Both of you... Get out there and dance. This is a party I've worked on with team RWBY and the Beacon staff for you and the Spartans. To get at least part of the experience of a normal life..."

Noticing the nigh-imperceptible wince of the Doctor and looking to Cortana to see an almost hopeful look, he relented, taking her hand and saying "I've _never_ danced before. If you have something about dancing from accessing the Rem-Net in there..."

"We do the usual." Cortana smirked "I help you, you keep me safe."

 _Baby, It's time to make up your mind! I think, Tonight's the night our stars align!_

... And then she noticed John had taken her hand... Just as the song finished, a new one started and Sam stood up. The blonde boy turned to Blake, smiled, then looked to John, grabbed by the shoulder and said "I asked for a song specifically for you two... Do your best, Johnny-boy." before turning to Blake as a slower song started. John sighed, then dragged Cortana into the dance floor, spinning around with her in his arms.

Instead of resisting, going pale, blushing or anything, Cortana let herself go with the flow, looking only at John as they danced. Sam took Blake, meanwhile, with Yang waiting on the sidelines. Three more couples joined in on the dance and Cortana noticed that, among them, were Coco and Velvet. Coco, sunglasses on, winked and gave a thumbs up, while Velvet, though slightly embarrassed, smiled at them too.

"Well..." Ozpin said, joining Halsey's side with a smile. "Took them long enough?"

Halsey smiled "It did..."

Ozpin extended his hand to the Doctor and said "May I?"

Halsey paused, staring into the man's amber eyes, then chuckled "I haven't danced in forever, Professor, so..."

"It's like riding a bicycle." He offered. "Plus, I haven't either. I figure that if anyone should be stepping on another's toes tonight, it's the two of us."

"Because you're insufferably naive despite your age?" Halsey snarkly returned.

"And because you're too dangerous to leave you out of my sight." Ozpin shot back wittily. "But you're in luck. I usually seek danger."

Halsey snorted, then took his hand and spoke "I may be a little tipsy, Professor. Forgive me if I _do_ mistakenly stub your toe." putting her glass down and taking the Professor's hand as they stepped onto the dance floor, to the cheers of students, an inebriated Glynda, a laughing James, a happy Ruby and a surprised John, Cortana and Sam. In fact, most Spartans doubled over and looked at the sight.

"GO, CORTANA! GO, DOC HALSEY!" Ruby cheered happily. Twins above, two power couples

Yang smirked, looking to Weiss, then nudged the Schnee on the shoulder and tilted her head to Ruby. Weiss blushed and Yang winked, mouthing " _You'd be cute together. As just friends, of course."_ and further making Weiss blush. Before she could, however, talk to Ruby, the redhead apparently gained courage and a little 'spirit'(Alcoholic type) and dragged Weiss by the wrist to the dance floor... And a happy Yang burst into laughter.

"Oh, my God! I never thought I'd see Doc Halsey dance!" Cortana laughed as the Spartan-AI couple danced. John actually showed a smile for a change, watching as the Doctor and Professor spun, with Ozpin chuckling every so often as the Doctor sometimes tripped in her heels and alcohol-induced little stupor. Cortana met John's gaze again. Smile still present, she spoke "Liar."

"What?" His brow quirked up.

"Liar. You're dancing just fine." Her smile widened.

"I got a good partner..." He smiled back, making the AI blush.

"Hey, I can't take all the credit. I'm still a little tipsy myself." She chuckled.

"I meant in general." John added, maintaining their pace, despite Cortana herself tripping a little bit. He caught her and straightened her up. He continued, looking around at the strobing lights and dancers. Calmly, looking back to her, he asked her "We've been through a lot, haven't we?" to which she gave a nod. The dance continued a bit more in silence, before Cortana broke it.

"You know... As I said and as Halsey keeps saying... You need a break, John. We all do... We've been at war since we were basically born... And I'm starting to enjoy the peace." The AI said solemnly. "I'm glad we got to go to a party together. And that I got a body to actually dance with. Seeing you stuck in Cryo was painful, really. During the years-long sleep and all..."

"I get it." John nodded. "But here we are. One final effort, right?"

... The AI couldn't help herself, she brought her head closer to John's chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. She felt that, without hesitation, John placed his arms around her. She felt... Odd... A warmth she'd been deprived of since she was created... She felt... Safe. Sure, MJOLNIR's circuitry was safe and sound. It'd been home for her, but what was happening now, it... It made her realize that she felt safest with him. Happy even... Smiling, she closed her eyes and said "Yeah... One final effort."... And one final mission.

But for now, she wanted to enjoy these moments... Moments she longed for even without a body...

Just... This... The perfect moment.


	48. The Party Part 2:No Rest for the Wicked

**_At a safehouse within Vale's high-end districts._**

Within the Shadow Doctrine Colonel's Penthouse, which Cinder found to be quite cozy, the trio from Salem's Cabal sat face-to-face with the man leading the entire organization and his bodyguards, soldiers in the form of the one that came to greet them. Said soldier twirled a knife between her fingers with a grin. It was a gracious display of tenacity from a supersoldier with incredible reflexes.

And then watched another one appear from the shadows, a smile on her lips and eyes as black as night. She had a high-caliber rifle in her hand and a belt of bullets in the other. She put the belt over her shoulder and took one of the bullets out, playing with it by spinning it between her fingers. She winked to her comrade and said comrade winked back, before turning her gaze to a curious Cinder.

"Cabal Gal seems to be eyein' ya, love." The sniper of the pair grinned.

"Meh, not my style. Too... _Maiden-y."_ The Knife-wielder relished in seeing Cinder stand to her feet, her powers acting up. But before Cinder could unleash her powers, the blade wielded by Stabby McPhee flew past her ear, embedding itself into the marble column with enough force to crack parts of it. Alpha chuckled, then said "Easy there, Firestorm. No need for you to take a bullet when command wants to talk to your boss."

"Thank you, Fifteen." The Colonel noted. "Fifteen and Twenty are squadmates, having worked together in their... Previous... Headhunter occupation."

"I see..." Cinder furrowed her brows. She took out her scroll, then said "Shall we cut to the chase, then?" before activating it and sliding it onto the table. Said table automatically activated a holographic display. A 2D screen flickered onto the center of the table, right between the Cabalites and Shadows... And the face of a millennia-old threat. With ashen-grey hair, dark-red veins pulsating across her hands and face, black eyes with red irises. As vile and dangerous as any of her monstrosities, Salem, the Wicked Witch, the nightmare alive, stood before the Colonel of the Shadows.

"So..." She spoke calmly. "This is the infamous Shadow Doctrine."

Pressing her fingers together, she leaned back onto her chair and motioned to the Colonel, urging him "Speak, child. Why is it that your organization has decided to contact us?" with a hint of impatience in her voice. Despite the Colonel wishing to retort, he elected to be calm, looking the age-old woman in the eyes, before speaking "Lady Salem. We're humbled to meet you..."

Salem hummed "So it would seem... I've heard much of your organization, Colonel. Your people seek war. A Remnant-wide war. A war that may, perhaps, even wipe your race out... Or strengthen it."

"Entirely depends on your outlook, Lady Salem." The Colonel offered. "We have plans in motion for 2 of the other kingdoms. We wish to discuss how we can adapt them to... Fit a possible alliance between us."

"You want us to cooperate? For what purpose?" Salem raised what would've been a brow...

The Colonel smirked "To eliminate Ozpin. Once and for all." And he noticed that caught Salem's attention. He hummed, then said "Him and his new organization, SWORD... Whatever they are, their tech does not match Remnant one. And I know for a fact they are alien to this world... Perhaps even a return of those whom we called Gods at some point..."

Salem huffed "The Gods left us long ago, Colonel. I highly doubt they would return."

"It may be so." The Colonel hummed. "So... If we promise to rid this world of Ozpin and his little Huntsman schools, would you assist us in fighting against his new organization, Lady Salem?"

"This SWORD... I've seen what it can do." Salem nodded. "... Our plans, however, will take some time to redraw if we're to include each-other in them."

"I will have a briefing regarding our available Vale-side forces later this week, Lady Salem. So we can better adapt and cooperate."

"Hmm. A good evening, Colonel." She answered rather darkly, tapping her finger and shutting off the connection.

... That went well.

* * *

 ** _Unknown location. Terrain type:Mountainous  
_**

In the midst of a crevice between two of the taller mountains in this unknown place, faint figures traversed beside a dry riverbed, their forms blending into the rocky, scarlet and orange background just as the sun began to set. They'd been in-country for the better part of 2 weeks now and their SPI armor was starting to get really dusty thanks to the trek through the large, country-spanning desert.

The team, known as the Ferrets, an elite Gamma Company Spartan-III squad lead by a non-Spartan, sat themselves down around a campfire made of dried leafs, sticks and a single match that barely managed to light the damn thing. A dark-skinned girl with short hair and a BR-55 was sat by the mouth of the cave. Her helmet was off her head and her brown eyes scanned the top of the crevice.

Seated by the campfire were her other two comrades and the team lead...

With black, shoulder-length hair and blue eyes visible, her helmet removed, Veta Lopis, formerly of the Gao Ministry of Protection and now a member of ONI's Ferret Team, sat by the Campfire. A sense of dread had been with her, slowly evolving, the closer they got to the other side of the place. She looked to the girl and asked "Olivia. Anything?"

"Nothing I can see outside the sky and the cliff walls, Mom." The Spartan-III said, turning toward them. "Nagging feeling still not gone?"

Veta shook her head... The 'nagging' feeling was not only just the thought of them not being anywhere near the planet they were on, but also a thought of... Them crossing some sort of border at this point. Some place forbidden to man's touch. Something was hanging around at the end of the chasm. She didn't like it, but they had to advance... She hummed "Any answer to our pings from any local UNSC force?"

"Nope." Ash answered... He then paused "Wait..."

The other three perked up and looked to the boy. He tapped his microphone, then said "Helmets on..." as his radio crackled to life... A distorted signal soon played into the ears of the squadron of ONI-sponsored assassins. An identification code kicked in on their Heads-Up Displays. A single UNSC beacon. Its transmission was broken up, but it was still pinging... Though it was very faint.

"Can you track where this is coming from, Ash?" Olivia asked.

"Just due..." He looked to his left, out the cave and on the chasm end opposite the way they came from. AKA the way they were heading "East, that way. UNSC tags identify the Beacon as belonging to the UNSC prisoner vessel _Mona Lisa._ Its ID tag location is sort of scrambled, possibly due to damaged reactor leaking Rads, but it is an approximate 60 clicks out from us. Exit from this place is in 20, so that leaves us about 40 clicks of open ground. Or so it looks like."

"Well... That's gonna be a very long trek. Let's get ready for it, Ferrets." Veta said, standing up.

In the far distance, the sky pulsed a painful scarlet...

* * *

 ** _Back at the Party_**

On the dance floor, Daisy and Cal were letting loose, with Daisy testing the ability of her new limbs. And the two seemed to be enjoying it, going by the fact Cal was laughing. Daisy was pulling some pretty hilarious dance moves. Halsey watched the duet alongside other students on the dance floor, a glass of fruit punch in her hand this time. It was getting to midnight...

Gazing over toward one of the booths, she saw that Penny, Linda, Pyrrha and Ruby were sat together, with the Spartan having pulled up a holographic deconstruction of the magnetic variation of the Sniper, with Ruby smiling proudly as she declared she'd built that with the help of the doctor. It did bring a smile on her face. She looked to the Headmaster as he took a seat next to her, a more grim look on his face than before.

Her own smile vanished... Ozpin slid a tablet to her, then said "We need to talk in private."

Under John's watchful gaze, the pair stepped away into the back rooms. Cortana snorted, then said "Wonder what they're gonna do back there." before noticing John's more serious, focused gaze... Something important must've been going on, she realized. She set a hand on his arm and said "Easy. I'm sure Doctor Halsey's gonna brief all of us about whatever the Headmaster's warning her."

"Mhm..." He sighed "Call it a hunch."

Cortana sighed "I hate it when Spartans get 'the hunch'..." before standing up and saying "C'mon. Let's go mingle to get our minds off it. This is still a party."

John nodded, his mind still racing toward the possible incoming issue with the new... 'Mission'. Whatever it was gonna be. The group walked to join teams JNPR and RWBY nearby to the tables, when suddenly, the whistling of some Marines and some of the Hunters. Everyone's gazes turned toward a beautiful blonde, her hair in a bun and a smirk on her face. She wore a blue jean jacket over her shoulders and underneath that, a black, strapless satin dress, with high heels.

And following her was a pink-haired, double-iris, purple-eyed bunny gal with an even tighter, fit dress with straps and no back, as well as a puffy skirt... Fishnets, for some reason... And high heels. Cortana smiled as she saw the green-clad Penny rushing toward them, before she elbowed the chief and said "Go get'em, tiger." with a grin. He turned toward her, eyes wide and her only response was "Don't worry, I can share." with a wink.

He nodded, arranging the collar that suddenly felt too tight for his own good. He turned away as his face started to burn a bright red and, for a good few seconds, he was wondering to himself what had actually gotten to him. He heard the young, strong voice of a female Spartan start singing a song he only knew as 'Hell Yeah' from that one time he saw Kelly's Playlist.

Evelyn and Jack immediately turned their gazes to John, from up the stairs, and bumped fists upon seeing him blushing already. Jackie B Ivory was first to speak "So, Chief. How do we look?"

"... Wow." was all John uttered out.

"Not the reaction we were actually expecting." Evelyn smirked. John's brow quirked up and she added "We were expecting a more military response, bucko. This is even better." and she spun around, her dress flaunting with her movement. "Sorry for being late, though. Took us a while to get ready." and John nodded. For some reason, he couldn't keep his eyes off of them for a few seconds...

He probably would need to talk to the doctor about reinstalling the Thyroid implants...

"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's party!" Jack called out and the two, plus Penny, dragged John onto the dance floor, under the gaze of half-laughing, half-plotting Cortana and a bunch of surprised and laughing Spartans. And as the evening passed, the party for the Marines and Spartans continued, all of them so far unaware of the multitude of upcoming threats to their safety and that of Vale...

 _... Meanwhile... Deep in the forests that drape the mountain ranges separating the deserts of Vacuo from Vale's steppes, fields and Hills, a voice echoed. In an area devoid of Human life, where Grimm undiscovered by man until only a century before, resided and where a monstrosity pulsed and grew, a simple song covered the airways of the Scar of Remnant simply known as 'The Zone' to those who dared inhabit it... A nursery rhyme that many had come to fear. In the midst of a dangerous geo-meteorological phenomenon, from the depths of a hellish pit, it resonated with absolute clarity... And all knew to hide as it was sung by the young voice of a girl familiar with the monstrosities around her..._

 ** _... Ring around the Rosie... Pocket Full of Posies... Ashes... ASHES... WE, ALL... FALL... DOWN..._**

* * *

 ** _AN:Sorry this is so short. I'll be dropping off for a trip out of country for about 4 days and I said I should add one final cliffhanger for people who read this story._**

 ** _Enjoy! See y'all later!_**

 ** _Hehehehe..._**


	49. Welcome to the Zone

As soon as the party had ended and the next day came, Halsey had called for a meeting within the confines of FOB Beacon. Gathered among the ever-growing numbers of Marine Personnel stationed there were the Spartans and even two members of team RWBY. Blake and Yang, to be specific. Seated in the middle of the landing area was Doctor Halsey and next to her, a holographic display showing a string of lines, trajectories and numbers, all leading to the mountainous western border between Vacuo's deserts and Vale's otherwise green pastures and hills.

Sergeant Johnson was right beside her, discussing points of entry and the possibility of assigning at least his 20-man Platoon to assist the Spartans. Yang glanced once over the map and soon started to realize she _knew_ that area. From scary bedtime stories and folk legends told by her dad and some of the older people on Patch. Hell, the child of one of the Vale Militia forces from Patch spoke about that place in fear. There was chatter among the ranks.

Blake tapped Yang on the shoulder. The two then gazed over to see Blue Team approaching... The chatter died down...

Doctor Halsey breathed in, then breathed out and said "Very well. Now that we are all here, let us go ahead with the briefing." before turning to and pointing toward the holo-display. "At 18:00 hours yesterday, it seems that the CCTS tower of Vale picked up a ping not to dissimilar to UNSC Frequencies. The most worrisome is that it is two things... A shipboard Distress Beacon..."

That caught a few rumbles out of the Marines, but Johnson managed to make them stow it just by glaring. He nodded to Halsey, before taking out one of his Sweet Williams cigars and lighting it. Halsey hummed, then continued "The second is, it is the beacon for a prisoner ship that was declared lost with all hands, much the same as the _Spirit of Fire_ was, but much more recently, right near the end of the War. Her name is the _Mona Lisa_ and she's asking for help and, according to the Headmaster, she _has_ been asking for help for the past century, but it seems her beacon only sends out regular pings every 25 years, otherwise being a silent spot known simply as The Dead Zone, or The Zone to locals... It is unknown as to why or how this phenomenon happens, but my speculation is possible fluctuations in the ship's fusion reactor, a thing as curious as to why nobody, not even Atlas nor Vale or Vacuo decided to investigate it..."

"What is even more curious is how the reactor hasn't lost power yet, or how the radiation hasn't spilled all the way to Vale." The woman noted. "To cut to the chase... We will be sending Sergeant Johnson's Marine platoon and Spartan Team BLUE out to investigate, all in full CBRN gear, just in case. If anyone wishes to go with them, we've still got ten spots open on the Supply Pelican, but I suggest you pack for a long haul. I will be staying home and monitoring the situation from the _Spirit's_ Command Center."

She noticed Yang and Blake stepping up, then sighed and said "That will be all. Talk to your Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors and higher-ranking officers before you sign in for deployment. It shall be business as usual otherwise. Dismissed and good day."

Doc Halsey stepped away, with Yang and Blake going to John. Yang was the first to pipe up "So... Another one of your ships?"

"Seems like it, though I've got a sinking feeling this one won't be as friendly as the _Spirit."_ Chief said, feeding a round into the chamber of his Mag rifle and sliding it on his back.

"Oh, boy..." Yang hummed.

"I hope you do know we're coming with." Blake added, looking to an approaching Sam. He and the Chief exchanged glances, then shrugged and nodded. Blake looked to Yang and whispered "That was easier than I expected."

"If you want to join us, we can't say no... We'll probably need all the backup possible." John stated. "Now, go get your CBRN gear and be ready to move out. We'll leave at midday."

The blonde looked to her partner, grinning, then the two stepped off. The day quickly passed and the soldiers quickly marched to board the trio of Pelicans waiting for them outside. Among them were Johnson, Jenkins and Mendoza. Johnson readied his shotgun with a grin on his face, while Jenkins shifted continuously in his seat, looking paler than bone. Mendoza elbowed him in the shoulder and said "Something wrong, amigo?"

"I... I just have a sinking feeling that we're about to walk into some kind of shit I... Just don't wanna relive." Jenkins stated, his voice trembled. "I'll try to stow that feeling for now..." And he watched the Spartans and two... Four huntresses board the vehicle. He looked to the Chief and asked "Sir, what the hell are the kids doing here, with all due respect?"

"Joining us on the trip, PFC Jenkins." Cortana, also in full CBRN gear with assault rifle included, stated. The CBRN Suits were a unisex combat system of padding, reinforcements, lead linings, oxygen tubes, backup oxygen tanks, webbing and a gas mask. They fully covered and insulated the body against any kind of chemical, radiological or nuclear damage, but it was susceptible to physical damage that could rupture the protection itself.

"Roger that, ma'am." Jenkins simply nodded.

"Tagging along then, Rubies?" Johnson smirked.

"'Sup, Sarge." Ruby waved, sitting herself down. She did manage to somehow tie her cape around the CBRN gear, which was a wondrous feat and a half. And Crescent Rose was on her back as well. She continued "Yep. Figured since sis and Blake are going, we should join too!" words which caused Weiss to roll her eyes, peeling back her mask and hood, to reveal hair caught in a bun on the right side of her head.

"She means she dragged me along despite me knowing full-well that this is a mission for you and your people, Sergeant. One which I tried to talk both Yang and Blake out of, to no avail, it seems..." The white-haired heiress said with the most deadpan expression the Sergeant had ever seen. She wiped the sweat off her brow and balked "How do you people even _breathe_ in these things? They're very... Stuffy."

Johnson chuckled "It's simple, Snow-White. We just do." before puffing a bit from his cigar. They watched as the back hatch closed. Foe Hammer had just boarded the bird, helmet slung under her arm and pilot CBRN kit on. She nodded to the Sergeant, then said to team RWBY "You four teens best hang on back here if things get rough. Would hate for your parents to chew us out if one of you gets sick."

Satisfied with how she formulated that line, she then walked in front, settling herself in her pilot's seat. Turning on her radio, as she made the final checks on the aircraft, she spoke "This is UNSC Pelican Echo 4-19 to Beacon ATC. Pelican wing is ready for takeoff toward the Zone."

" _Roger that, Echo 4-19, you and your wing are clear for departure. We've talked with the local Atlesian military air presence and they've given us good, clear skies on route heading 2-2-5. Have a safe trip and see you home. Beacon out."_ The ATC responded. The woman smirked, then powered engines to maximum and took off, followed by two more Pelicans, among which the supply bird flown by Sheila.

"Sooo... What's the _Mona Lisa_?" Ruby asked, looking at everyone.

"As far as Doc Halsey said, it's some kind of Prisoner ship of theirs gone missing." Yang said, looking over herself... She couldn't bring Ember Celica to use due to the requirement of CBRN uniforms to be able to go on mission, so she had to settle for a Semi-Automatic shotgun. She looked over to Jenkins after Ruby let out an 'oooh' and asked the shifty, pale Marine "Yo, dude, y'alright?"

"'m fine... Just a bit worried." He said. His palms felt cold, even wrapped in the gloves of the outfit...

"Similar experience?" Weiss inquired.

He nodded. Now that he thought about it, it was eerily similar. Going into an unknown area to figure out what the hell was going on did remind Jenkins a lot of his last experiences prior to waking up on Remnant. Exchanges between the soldiers continued erratically, but mostly, the team was quiet for the flight. Team RWBY, as an example, had fallen asleep, while Blue Team prepared their weapons.

John had chosen to take a moment and join Foe Hammer and her co-pilot at the front of the bird. It'd been a good couple of hours since they had left Beacon, so he expected they weren't far away. And his assumption was correct... Carol had had to lift her visor off her eyes to look at what was ahead... A sky of scarlet color, covered by black clouds run through by the strange light. Bursts of red lightning streamed through said clouds... John gazed downward, toward the ground. He saw two blips on the radar, flanking them and two more in the far corner... Then it went dead. Two were the Pelicans. The other two? Unknown.

The ground ahead was... Covered in ruins. Habitation blocks as tall as 13 stories and houses as small as probably two rooms littered the ground. The trees were devoid of leafs, the grass a dark yellowish-green. Many of the buildings were collapsed or severely damaged. And Chief's armor-mounted Geiger Counter started clicking lightly... The Spartan looked over and around and noticed Debris that didn't resemble the cityscape landed on buildings, overgrown with threads of colorless plants. The roads, once an unbroken concrete, now lay shattered, caught again in the overgrowth of mutated plant life...

In the far distance, the Spartan and Pilot both saw a silhouette, lit every once in a while by the burning red lightning. A large ship, half-embedded into the ground, its engines probably laying below as it was broken, sheared in half amidships. The center of the strange storm above was just over the ship. The _Mona Lisa_ lay, broken, in the Dead City before them. John felt a chill... An actual **_chill_** shoot up his spine. A strong feeling of uneasiness soon crept upon him and he felt his palms grow cold. His left fist clenched.

"God..." Carol whispered to no one in particular. "First, I wake up a living teenage version of myself, I wake up here, then Radar's out and now, this..."

Kelly appeared behind John and leaned in, to say "Long-Range comms're dead... Holy _fuck..."_ She went bug-eyed "Wha'the hell happened here?"

The ship was still a good few clicks out... The radio of the ship crackled to life...

" _... nidentif... craft, touch dow... 't our coordinates..."_ It was filled with static, but the voice was clearly feminine...

"Isolate that." John said as Cortana approached. She started working on her scroll and slowly, she managed to fix up and tune the signal to their own. The voice came back, a woman's. Her accent was Eastern European, Russian or Ukrainian, perhaps.. Or whatever variation of those locations Remnant itself had. She spoke with a sense of urgency " _Unidentified Aerocraft. If you can read me, this is Stalker Outpost 2-5. Disengage from current route and touch down immediately. A Blowout is imminent and you are flying right to the center of the City."_

Cortana nodded as she gave John the Comm. He spoke "This is SWORD Pelican Echo 4-19. Say again, Outpost 2-5?"

John heard whoever was on the radio audibly sigh in relief " _Oh, thank the Gods, their Radios work... This is Stalker Outpost 2-5. Pelican Echo 4-19, you are headed into the Radiation-Critical areas of the City. A Blowout is about to occur. Disengage from your flight path and come about bearing 0-4-1. We will launch a flare to show you where to land."_

"... Outpost 2-5, what is a Blowout?" John inquired, noticing the worried glances of the pilots.

" _A Blowout is a severe Radiation Storm caused by whatever is at the center of the City that will severely damage your aircraft's electronics and may even cause it to fall out of the sky like a brick. They have been intensifying lately and the next one is unpredictable, but it will happen soon. Redirect and touch down near to us, copy?"_

He looked to Carol, who nodded, then spoke "Copy, Outpost 2-5. We're on our way..."

"Coming about." Carol said, swinging the bird about and giving the Spartans view of the silhouettes of the border mountain range. The Pelicans tailing them also swung their flight. A scarlet flare flew into the sky just in front of them, lighting the night's sky. It came from a nearby clearing in the Dead Forest surrounding the city... And as the birds swung in to Land, John ordered "Masks on, suits sealed... We're going out."

"Oh boy..." Yang said, standing up and arranging her CBRN gear over her head... She muttered "Gods, I hate this stuff so much... It kills my hair"

John ignored her... With a wet thnk, the aircraft touched down... And as the back hatch opened, a squad of soldiers in ancient-looking gas masks and military gear appeared. They raised old, rusty Assault Rifles toward the Spartans and Marines, who answered in kind. John stepped up front, flashing his light toward the strange, leather-looking Gas Masks with filters at the front and, out from the main building, a muffled female voice, accompanied by the form of a soldier in full anti-rad kit, yelled aloud at the welcoming party "Lower your weapons! Lower your goddamn weapons and get inside! Start the siren!"

The howl of an air raid siren soon echoed across, rising in pitch. The woman looked to John and everyone else and said "Inside! Inside!"

Lightning and Thunder crackled, drumming like machine guns as the sky further darkened and reddened. The mixed group of Huntresses and Soldiers all piled inside a very spacious, multi-level bunker as the droning hum of the Blowout became louder and louder. The other aircraft managed to touch down, their crew entering the buildings and locking down the vehicles just in the nick of time... The doors shut as a tremor rumbled across through the bunker and the outside world, the storm intensifying in strength outside. John, seated by the door, heart his Geiger Counter suddenly spike in to the hundreds of rads. The lead-lined door and walls held, thankfully, repealing most of the radiation...

A muffled sigh of relief came from the woman that greeted them. The team looked to see a redhead with short hair removing her mask and turning toward them, a pair of unnaturally azure eyes staring at all of them. She nodded to them, then said calmly "Sorry for the rough introduction... What can I add... Welcome to the Zone. You must be the SWORD, quite the rumors about you, most of which seem to be true." and she walked up to the Spartans and Marines, extending her hand "I'm Kapitan Nadya Syniya, of the Stalkers, though many call me Balalaika... We are part of those that inhabit what remains of the border city of Chornyygrad."

John shook her hand calmly, before noting "A pleasure." and inquiring "Balalaika, was it?"

"Yes." The woman nodded. Chief just now noticed her tattered clothes bore an insignia of the Vale Defense Force, almost a century old. And it was modified... It had a gas mask in front of the two Battleaxes on the shield and some writing in cyrilic above. She cleared her throat, then asked nonchalantly, whilst looking over her old, beat rifle "Are you here for a reason, Eagle?"

"What?" John inquired.

"I asked first." She looked back up at him. "Any reason you're here? Can't be because you suddenly decided that leaving Vale for the Zone was a good idea... And Ozpin mentioned you in the last communique that managed to get through, nearly two months ago. So I imagine you're here on business detail for your little Special Operations unit. As well as our usual 'hold position' orders..."

John felt both an air of hostility and a bit of urgency to her questions. He'd play along for now. "We're here about a sensitive asset located in the middle of the City. There's a crashed ship of ours. I presume the Headmaster fully briefed you as to who we are?"

"The UNSC. Some sort of spacefaring humans that just happened to stumble upon our world... I'm trusted by the Headmaster enough to get info out of him and I know when he bullshits and when he doesn't... And I'm not afraid to admit I was skeptical of him when he mentioned your people... Now that I see you, in full CBRN kits, with armors and gear like yours? _Blye,_ I'll kiss that man's feet if I ever see him again..." She admitted fully, her gaze once hard as ice now softening. "So tell me... Eagle... Is the ship you're talking about that husk of metal from where much of the Radiation originates?"

John nodded. He felt this woman knew more than she let on.

Sighing deeply, Nadya looked around and said "Follow me. Rest of your unit stays in the Lobby until my men give the all-clear."

"How long's that gonna be? We've got gear we need to get from our birds." He inquired, hand moving on instinct toward his handgun. Nadya noticed the movement, but kept her gaze locked onto his visor. Through it, she saw what many others couldn't. Deep inside, for the first time since the inception of the Spartan Program, for the first time since his training, John-117, the Master Chief, _felt uneasy._ And it wasn't a normal uneasiness... It was a combination of Deja-Vu and an all new sensation for John... It was the same as back on Installation-04... Back when...

He scrambled that thought. Those _things_ could not have made it here. Not in one piece at least...

The Spartan followed the Stalker Captain all the way to the other side of the Bunker. Specifically, its Command Post. Seated in multiple seats were other Stalkers, all wearing different clothing, uniforms and hauling different guns, but all united by that little badge or insignia that they wore on the left of their chests. Nadya approached one of her soldiers, who operated one of the many ancient consoles around, then asked "What's the status of the Blowout?" as a screen flashed amber.

John walked to them. The screen flashed again with an estimated numeral countdown...

"Should be out in about an hour or two. Best bet would be two and a half, considering how our equipment has been going nuts as of late." The soldier stated, then cocked his head back and said "Holy shit, Kapitan. Headmaster never mentioned how tall these SWORD guys are." before noticing a deadpan glare from the woman. He turned back to his job and finished "Yeah, two and a half, Kapitan."

"Thanks." She nodded, then turned toward one of the screens and pointed "There..."

... A multitude of old CCTV Camera systems linked by wire to the CP. All of them showed different overgrown streets, buildings and even a square. The roads were teeming with century-old car wrecks. One of the cameras mounted up on a pedestal was gimball-locked and aimed down the boulevard, where something pulsed and thrashed over a building.

"This is our front line camera... Something has been moving about in this town since after our ancestors first arrived in it almost a century ago, fighting to help Vacuo clear an open land trade route between us and them during the Great War. Supply ferries and such for the ground crews. The place was an upstart City State trying to make itself known and fighting for independence from Vale... Governmental and otherwise. Then, whatever cataclysm happened during the Great War, presumably your ship crash-landing here, happened... And since those days, something our ancestors referred to as 'The Flesh That Hates' appeared. People went missing while investigating what it was, it overtook the Upper City and the so-called 'Resort District' within days and every army fighting here was either routed or... Well, vanished."

"How do entire armies just 'vanish', Captain?" John asked.

"Hell if I know, Eagle... Hell if I know. All I know is, nobody who got close to the City Center, Upper City or that District came back... And trust me, I've made the mistake of sending Patrols that way." She noted, huffing indignantly at the memory. Shaking her head, she spoke "I'd suggest you and your people rest and let the Blowout pass. Two and a half hours. Eat, rest and drink if you want... But beware of the Specters when you go out there."

"Specters?" Chief tilted his head.

"Grimm, Eagle. Very, very, _very_ weird Grimm. Swarm Grimm that can shift into ghostly forms... I don't even know how to properly explain them. Just be careful and if you _think_ you see one, just _run._ Don't fight, _run_. I'll go try and pipe up with other Outposts... One more thing, you'll be having to trek on foot... Any farther than this and some strange anomalies will cause your craft to crash-land. Trust us, some more shifty Atlas types tried the same once or twice. Nobody from their crews came home, even though we warned them. I'll also send a guide with you just to be safe."

"Awful generous of you." John murmured.

"We're all in the shit now, Eagle. Together. Until either whatever anomaly's keeping Chornyygrad locked down is done and gone... Or until we're all dead." She said. "You may meet other factions out there. Out of all of them, the Awakened are the most dangerous... Military kit, strange visors, you cannot miss them. They're able to go to and from the City Center through certain locations only they know. The others matter little unless you deal with them first."

"I'll keep that in mind." John added. She nodded and left him with that, nothing else to add. The Spartan stepped out toward his team, watching the woman descend down a set of stairwells toward the lower regions of the Bunker. Sighing, the Spartan went out to join the rest of his crew, sitting himself down next to Blue Team, who checked their gear. He watched as team RWBY seemed... Both uneasy, but somehow managing to have fun. Ruby and Yang were playing on their scrolls, Blake was reading a book and Weiss was... Well, forced to attend to watching the two girls game.

He looked over to Johnson and Foe Hammer, nodding to them, before drawing his own weapon and starting to clean it. Watching them from the other rooms-going from left to right as:Mess Hall, Bunks and Toilets-were a dozen Infantrymen of the Stalkers', all armed with guns of a common caliber and varying forms. 9mm and 7,62 much like their own weapons, really, but some of the weapons were bolt-action, while others were semi and even further so, some were capable of full-auto...

At a controlled campfire nearby, a squad of Stalkers in CBRN gear, minus the masks, currently, were playing instruments, laughing and drinking away. Meanwhile, for him, the entire world felt heavy. He still felt that uneasiness from the simple fact of being there. He sighed, turning back to his gear to clean it up while Kelly... Was drinking from a flask. She grinned at John, giving him a thumbs up, before taking another chug. He hummed... Maybe things would be alright yet?


	50. The Nightmares That Walk

**_AN:Here we are! 50 chapters in and not even a tenth of the way through what I've got planned for this story! A big thank you to all those that stuck by my side since the start and believed this story could become something... I'm gonna say 'okay' while comparing it to some other fine writers' masterpieces on this site, both linked to RWBY and to Halo. Here's to more wonderful chapters and hopefully, not Jumping the Shark. Let's continue with the Stalker:Shadow of ChernoVale's Part 2!_**

* * *

Yang felt an existential dread the likes of which she hadn't felt since she was young and out and about with her sister looking for her mom, but she was trying to keep up a facade of the calm Big Mama of the team. She watched as Marines shifted their positions, marching around and eyeing every tiny hole or crack in the wall with murderous intent. To a Huntress-in-Training and a Teenager like Yang, her usual reaction would be to keep her eyes open and be ready to warn her team, or get ready to protect themselves. To the Marines? Specifically to the guy the entire group calls Jenkins? What was standard procedure in this case was, spot something, shoot and ask questions never...

They were all tense. Even the Spartans... She saw Sam fiddling with a pair of detonators for C12 packs not too far away from where she and her team were seated. The wiring that connected the timer-based detonators to the square tiles of plastic explosive was now sprawled on the floor as not to cause an unwanted ignition in the primers and blow'em all to hell.

The Chief? She watched him keep his gaze locked onto the massive, lead-lined bulkhead that separated them from the irradiated outside. Fred, beside him, was playing with a knife, twirling it between his fingers. Then, there was Kelly, with no helmet on her head. She was checking her ammunition for her shotgun. Small, conical, magnetically-launched projectiles that contained sixteen small shards of metal, as well as a Dust crystal inside. Kelly's favorites seemed to be fire and lightning Dust...

Linda, meanwhile? She was as calm as can be. Her helmet was clipped onto her belt. Her sniper rifle was leaning on the same wall she was leaned against. The scarlet-haired shooter had her eyes closed, either taking a nap on her feet or just listening to the whispers of conversation around them. Then there was Kurt, who was interacting and chatting with the Marines to try and keep them calm.

A shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see the dark-skinned Johnson sit down, extending to them four tin cups with coffee inside, before saying "Drink up. Locals seem to think it'll help with the Rads. Hell, maybe they put lead in it for all we know." with a grin. He sat himself down, after receiving a silent thank you from all four of the girls, and asked "How're you four holding up? Getting that odd feeling that all of us seem to have here?"

"You mean near-constant anxiety?" Blake asked. "I think it's pretty widespread between everyone here at this point, Sergeant."

The man snorted, taking a sip of his coffee and nodding. "Yeah, well going by what these Stalker folk say, this has become the norm for them. Can't actually smile anymore." and turning to Nadya. Indeed, the more the girls looked at the Stalkers, the more they saw them, young men and women, milling about mechanically, trying to keep themselves entertained.

"What do you think is out there, Sarge?" Ruby asked, a slight quiver in her voice.

Johnson hummed, his expression softening, then said "Probably just a few shitty Grimm and a dead husk of a city, Rose. Don't worry about any yahoo the folks here're saying."

The redhead chuckled "Swear jar..." And she saw Johnson's brow quirk up. Yang chuckled too, then explained "Sis has a swear jar. Whenever I or dad say some kind of bad word, she has us put a couple Lien into it." to which Johnson smirked.

"You're gonna be millionaires if you hang around me for long enough." He quipped. The girls laughed.

Nadya approached the chief, then said "The Blowout is nearly over. It should be safe to go outside."

"Good." John nodded. "Who's coming with us?"

"I'd suggest taking a small squadron at first. Moving together usually attracts masses of Specters and other Grimm around." She said, arranging her gear. "I'll be joining you. Have to go check on the Outposts near the Exclusion Zone." and she put on her gas mask. John nodded, then picked out a crew of Marines, Cortana and Blue Team to go with him. He looked to team RWBY, who simply nodded at him.

They watched the door slide open, metal cogs and machinery groaning under the stress, just as Johnson, Chips, Jenkins and Mendoza joined them on the way out, rifles in hand, flashlights turned on and gas masks ready. The team marched out, with Nadya, John and the AI at the front. Their hair stood on-end as they looked at the Forest devoid of life. The trees were black as night, charred, possibly by the explosion, or it was just the way they were after the Radiation started to mutate them.

The shrubbery either burned away or was just a bunch of sticks. The winds of the strange storm still blew about the char and rads, radioactive dust flying in the air. Nadya tapped John on the shoulder and spoke, her voice muffled "Follow me. We're going to Outpost 3-2 just near by Strelkovaya Train Station. Come." And she stepped off first, raising her rifle and turning on its flashlight.

The others followed, with Johnson and Dubbo bringing up rear, just as the pilots and other crew went to unload the supplies from the Pelicans. The group stepped off into the forest, weapons at the ready. The shade below the trees felt incredibly heavy. Even through the masks, the team could feel a faint scent of rust and burned metals. The wind howled past them. The clouds overhead remained the same color as before the pulse. Red and black with lightning streaks.

The silhouettes of broken buildings stood lined, neatly, in the distance. The trip was silent and the only noise the team could hear was the crackling of... Whatever was old, worn and burned away below their feet. Johnson soon felt that same nagging deja-vu that everyone else was talking about back at the bunker. He gazed to their right, to see a very, very faint emerald glow, like a pair of lines... It then vanished.

"Something wrong?" Nadya asked, turning back to him.

"Some sort of vomit or neon-green glow just that way." Johnson hummed. "It vanished, though."

Nadya's eyes went wide as she ordered "Move, faster. That was a Specter." before waving them forward. The team double-timed it, keeping their eyes locked on the treeline whilst Nadya and Chief covered the front. They rushed into a destroyed building before locking the door behind them. Nadya hummed, then said "That was close." as she looked to them.

"You seem awfully scared of them, Captain." The Chief mused. "Why?"

"The Specters? Of course, I am..." The woman spat, her accent growing thick "They can take you, break your mind and twist you to their own design. And the worst part is they can take any form they desire if they get close enough to the target, effectively replacing it... Do not trust any animal you see here. All could be Specters."

"What're Specters 'nyway? What do they look like?" Kelly shifted, peering out through the cracks between boards. "Grimm, ye said, but... What kind?"

"Mutated by the Zone. By that metal husk you call a ship. Possibly even by the Flesh that Hates." The Captain responded, a deadpan look "This place is a century old, so for all we know, they could very well be poltergeists or phantoms of those who died when your ship crashed here, or when the Great War was on its last legs... Chornyygrad was meant to be the fifth Kingdom to rise, out of the ashes of a war that killed too many. Instead... It is now theirs to haunt."

Linda gazed outside too, then said "Flesh that Hates really sounds like something out of those internet stories you'd find on the RemNet. What were they? S... Something something?" And she looked over... Shadows moved in one of the trash-filled alleys. Linda keyed her com and showed everyone to quiet down. She flicked the Scope to Thermal and scanned that same spot... Two silhouettes matching humanoid, perhaps even _human_ features and heat signatures appeared... She spoke softly in whisper "Acquired two unknown individuals, one carrying a rifle."

Captain Nadya slowly crept up beside Linda, taking out a pair of Old World binoculars and looking forward, her palms cold... A man and woman, both clad in Stalker uniforms and both wounded. The woman had a laceration in her abdominal region. The man had one eye missing and a bone spike through his left forearm, holding onto the gun with only his right hand. Both were looking around, trembling.

"Those are my people..." Nadya whispered... She watched the man turn the corner to another side of the ruined apartment block that formed one wall of the alleyway... He raised his Assault Rifle and swept it around the boulevard as the Spartans and Marines all came to watch and, if possible, guide them to him. Nadya swore to herself in her local dialect.

"We can help them. Open the door." Chief suggested.

"No... They're outside and have been spotted... They're already dead..." Nadya stated plainly, finger twitching on the trigger of her old rifle.

Chief eyed her "Are you gonna execute them?"

"Spare them of whatever Specters do..." Nadya hummed, her voice now devoid of emotion, as she aimed her gun at the rifleman. One of the Spartans and even Johnson wanted to protest, but... All stopped when a projectile made of bone, about the size of the man's fist, impaled him through the sternum, pinning him to the wall. The woman screamed and collapsed onto the floor, looking at the bloody rifle now on the floor below the man. She ran to grab it, but an outstretched, black skeletal arm soon stabbed her in the throat with sharp, necrotic claws, only to drag her away at incredible speed, snapping her neck before she could scream again. The source of said arm was nowhere to be seen, nor the source of the spike that killed the man...

The sound of bones and joints came from nearby and Linda eyed another set of... Almost human silhouettes appear in the Alley, but they were hidden by the darkness. Only their pus-colored, shining eyes were visible through the darkness. The lanky Grimm, or... Whatever they were, sat in the shadows, the clicking of teeth resonating through that part of the city...

Nadya had covered the mouth of one of the female Marines, pushing her behind the cover of a damaged concrete wall as an absolute sense of dread overtook the entire group. The Spartans all vanished into cover, followed by the Marines, only listening as the strange horde of monsters stumbled past them, incessantly groaning or screeching, leaving a trail of pus as they walked past. The unknown creatures' sounds soon vanished into the dark... And everyone collectively sighed in relief.

"The fuck were those?!" Kelly asked with a cracking voice, looking at the trail of goo left by the things.

"A variation of some other form of Grimm, only found here." Nadya explained. "Unlike their cold-loving brethren who feast on making people so apathetic to their current situation, this group, called Nightmares by us, feeds on the dread they create... And on assimilating humans, as was seen there... I think the legend about them goes that, whoever was here was apparently turned into either a Specter or one of..." She tilted her head toward the side they went through. "them..."

The Chief hummed "We need to keep moving..." And, turning to Nadya, he told her sternly "And while we do, you need to brief me on what other types of Grimm we may encounter here."

Nadya nodded "I should've done that before... I just... Forgot."

"We all forget things..." Kelly shrugged.

"Let's move." John noted, raising his rifle... That feeling of uneasiness worsened.

* * *

 ** _On board the UNSC_** **Mona Lisa.**

A groan escaped the mouth of a woman who had fought through hell and back in the Human-Covenant war. Her head felt like it'd been caved in, which, well... It had been. She remembered the faithful confrontation aboard the metallic, infected husk they had come to 'RECON'. Rebecca and ONI be fucking damned... She staggered to her feet, feeling her grip tightening around her MA5. She leaned against a wall and scanned the darkness around her. Only groaning, rusted metal was around her. A corridor of grates, broken pipes and wiring.

She flicked on her flashlight. It barely pierced the darkness... Her eyes shifted back and forth between corners of and vents. The only noises audible to her were her own breathing, the thumping headache and the groans and creaks of the ship's hull. She hummed to herself, lowering the rifle. She breathed out a sigh of relief. If there was silence around her, it was highly-possible those damn _things_ weren't around.

She started down the corridor ahead of her, rifle raised and eyes scanning the vents, just in case. A sense of dread pressed down on her shoulders as she turned a left, rifle raised still. She flicked her comms on just in case... And a blaring call from multiple Marines, followed by Static, came into her ear... The most familiar voice came to her. " _This is Corporal Ngoc Benti to any friendly forces aboard the_ Mona Lisa. _Can you hear me?"_

The Sergeant's eyes went wide. She spoke "Benti, this is Lopez. You're alive?"

" _Sarge! Oh, thank Christ. I'm here."_ She answered... Lopez felt a weight lift off her shoulders. " _Listen, I'm with MacGraw and Orlav and we-"_

"Benti, slow down... MacGraw and Orlav are alive?!" Lopez went bug-eyed, lowering her rifle.

" _And kicking, Sarge!"_ Lopez could swear she _heard_ MacGraw's shit-eating grin over the Radio. " _We're stuck in a closet, though. Hearing a lot of noise outside."_

 _"Could be bad! And yes, I'm here too!"_ The Russki's voice came through, sharp as usual.

"Flood?" She asked, rifle snapping back up "Give me a location and I'll get right to you." before picking up the pace. She looked around for any silhouettes... She froze as she saw a singular Elite in front of her, a cricket bat in hand... He turned to face her, raising his bat to strike. The woman brought up her Assault Rifle, but her finger eased off the trigger as the armorless Elite struck down a black, pus-covered creature to the floor... Said creature's corpse, in the form of a very lanky wolf, started dissipating.

He looked to Lopez... And his jaws formed a mock human grin standard of an Elite.

"Henry..." Lopez said, awed. "Thanks." and getting a nod from it. She took a moment, rubbing the back of her neck, before asking "We at peace?"

"Mhm." The Elite once again nodded.

"Survival's easier together, after all. I know where some of my squad are. We can get to them, grab'em and get the fuck off this boat... And probably figure out what happened that kept us alive." before racking the bolt of her AR. She looked to Henry and said "I'll take point this time." in a show of trust, moving ahead of the Elite. He hummed, then followed. Lopez spoke again "Benti, Orlav, MacGraw. I got Henry with me."

" _Roger, Mama."_ Benti chuckled " _I'm detecting UNSC IFFs aboard the ship. Possibly the others as well as you, ma'am, but the numbers are scrambled by some kind of Rads. Probably Cherenkov. So going by that, the Slip-Drive detonated and sent us to God-knows where. Noise's just gone out and vanished on our side of the ship, so I'd be careful where you go."_

"If we see any of those fucking things, Benti, I will personally gun them down..." Lopez grinned... Their radios crackled with Static again... And another female voice... Whispered, but familiar.

" _Anyone there? This is Burgundy. Boss? Benti?"_ She begged silently...

" _Burgundy! Son of a... We saw you-"_ The woman almost wept as she spoke, joy in her voice.

 _"I know, Benti! Thank God I can hear your voices... Listen, I'm with Cranker, Rabbit and Rakesh. We're in the Engine Room... But I can't see a trace of those fucking things anywhere near. There's a pretty sizable hole in the Engine Hold though, probably from when you chucked those grenades into the FTL Drive. I am hearing a load of movement around us, but we'll try and make our way out. MT's kicking up a fucking storm outside."_ She stated. The sound of a cocking Assault Rifle echoed over com. _"We're gonna try and meet with the rest of you."_

"Burgundy, this is Lopez." The Sergeant said happily "Good to hear you, kiddo. We're on our way, probably to Engineering... Don't shoot if you see a tall lanky fucker and myself coming your way. I've got a Covie survivor with us... Don't ask, but apparently, he's cool." before looking ahead just as something ran in front of them. "Alright, listen up, people!" She called out over com "Anyone who's still alive out of my kids and can listen in on this frequency, if you can't answer, don't! But fuckin' hear me out! This Platoon is getting off this hunk of infested junk and getting that fucking shore leave I promised!"

"Benti, you and your squad okay hiding there?" She asked.

" _We'll be fine, ma'am. Take your time."_ Benti returned.

"Okay, good. Burgundy, you and your group make your way up the Maintenance Corridors. We'll probably meet halfway. Any of my kids who're still alive and can hear this Radio ping aboard the ship, if the Rads aren't jamming it and if you've still got ears to listen to it, we're coming for you, we're jumping ship and blowing it to hell. I keep my promises... Now, asses in gear and move!"

 _"Yes, ma'am!"_ The Marines on radio chorused.

"See you all soon. Lopez out." She finished, cutting the transmission and turning to Henry "If whatever woke us up from Death did the same to some of your comrades, I hope you got our backs on this one, Henry." and again, she got a nod. Except, this time, he placed a balled fist on the right of his chest. A gesture of honor, a salute of sorts. Lopez gave the human salute, then quipped "Good enough for me. C'mon."

And the two allies broke into a sprint...


	51. Run

**_Back at the Outpost..._**

Ruby felt a severe pang of worry coming to her. It'd been a good few hours since John and the others had left the Outpost and even some of the locals were getting restless. She'd found herself a seat on a couch nearby and looked out of a narrow, slit window to the outside... To see a city like this... It was worse than Mt. Glenn in every way. Just the dark-red sky gave her an unfathomable vibe of wrongness.

She saw shadows stumble down below, in one of the city's abandoned ruins. Didn't know or couldn't tell if it was Grimm, but the forms looked humanoid... Gah, she dreaded to think what was going on out there. Foe Hammer appeared next to her, having just come down from the rooftop of the Bunker, then said "Ain't got sight on them yet... Asked some of the Stalkers here where they're headed and the answer was 'Strelkovaya Station', some other outpost nearer to the center of the City... And the _Mona Lisa._ "

"Think they're okay?" Ruby asked, rocking back and forth. Her palms were cold.

Foe Hammer smiled confidently "Kid, they've got Johnson, his Platoon and Blue Team with the Chief leading. I'd pray for the Grimm." before walking toward her and taking a seat. She took out a chocolate bar ration from her pocket and gave it to Ruby, before adding "I'd suggest taking a nap. They'll probably be back by the time you wake up... Hell..." She yawned "I think I might hit the sack for a bit myself..."

Ruby yawned too, then said "Alright... Thanks, Foe-Hammer" as, onto the worry, a strange... Desire... Was added on. To go out and find them. And a plan started to formulate in Ruby's head. She stood up and walked toward her team, plopping herself down on the concrete. She leaned down to take a nap and whispered to them "I wanna go out and find the Chief. Reinforce his platoon..."

"You're worried." Weiss whispered back. "About them. Ruby, they're a spaceborne mil-"

"I know, I know, Weiss... But this place... It feels..." Ruby shuddered, her silver eyes fearful " _Wrong._ More so than anything we've faced so far. I want to make sure that they're fine. And we'll hang out at the next outpost while they delve deeper inside. After we find them, I mean." before looking to Yang... The blonde seemed as worried as Ruby, her trademark smile beginning to vanish... Ruby added on "Think of it as my gut feeling..."

"Well..." Yang looked to Weiss and Blake "It hasn't been wrong so far, right?"

The monochrome duo looked to each-other, then to Yang and Ruby... Blake sighed, regretful of what she was about to do, then whispered "Alright... We go... What's the plan for sneaking out of this place? Because I'm sure neither the Stalkers, nor the rest of the Marines are gonna let us leave just like that." and, once Ruby made a handwave toward herself in a sleeping position, smiling, Blake hummed. "... Ugh, I hate not protesting something I _know_ can cause us problems, but I'm worried too..." about Sam, no less...

"Do I have to be the voice of reason _again_?" Weiss whispered at them, more aggravated "What if we leave and get lost? What if we leave and get split up? What if both happen? We can't contact each-other because Radios do not seem to be working. And we left our Scrolls at home. As far as we know, nobody explored this place outside of the Stalkers. And even _they,_ its _inhabitants,_ do not venture outside without help or proper guidance."

"Weiss, please... It's just a quick checkup... We've all got our weapons with us and we can defend ourselves. Plus, the Hazmat gear." Ruby pleaded, looking to Weiss. "I don't want to find out we lost close friends because we decided to just stay back. For all we know, right now, they could be caught in an ambush, or surrounded by some new, undiscovered type of Grimm, or..."

... Weiss sighed, defeated and well aware that Ruby would pester her about this until they either went out or _something_ did happen. The same uneasiness that seemed to have taken over all 3 of her teammates did also start getting to Weiss. She then turned her gaze to Ruby and added, sternly "If I die out there, Ruby Rose, I will _haunt_ _you without hesitation._ And I'll make sure that, even if you die, I'll be tailing you."

"Would that make ya a..." Yang grinned.

"Don't you _dare,_ Yang..." Weiss warned...

"Polter _Weiss?_ " The blonde chuckled, giving the fingerguns as she got the absolute most deadpan looks from everyone around her. She chuckled awkwardly "Eh? Eh...? Man, you guys really are no fun." and then slumped, noticing no answer. Party poopers, the lot of them. "Well... Let's get to it, then." and the blonde leaned back, trying to fall asleep...

As the day waned and more and more of the base crew, save for a few guards, fell asleep, team RWBY had awoken. The four looked to each-other and nodded, slipping on their weapons and masks without a word, before slowly crawling toward the main door. Somehow, the Stalkers had not spotted them as they made their way, slipping through a crack in the door big enough for each of them.

And as they came into contact with the burned forest outside, Ruby had frozen in place. The door sealed behind them with a click, but the Huntress was stuck, wide-eyed at the leafless trees that towered over them, their shadows like twisted, mangled fingers reaching out toward them. The sky wore that same scarlet gash across the clouds that all of them had seen on the way here, red lightning coursing through the sky above...

"Gods..." Weiss murmured, her fingers twitching around Myrtenaster's hilt and around the grip of the M7 magnetic SMG that she was handed as a Side-Arm. Yang felt her back and drew her Shotgun, thumbing the safety off, whilst Blake grabbed one half of Gambol Shroud and readied it. She turned on the under-barrel flashlight, sweeping the treeline... Nothing but burned grass, ashen ground and what remained of a lush forest.

"... This feels bad." Yang noted, looking to her team-mates.

"Let's... Let's go." Ruby whimpered, drawing Crescent Rose and keeping it in rifle form. She and Weiss took point, with Yang and Blake bringing up the rear. Each kept an eye open as their boots crunched against the soft ash, leaving their marked prints into it. The beam of light from Yang's gun cut through hanging dust and ash particles as she scanned the trees and burned bushes.

A flicker of movement had Yang ready her shotgun, sending her team into a quiet panic. A shimmering, emerald cloud floated far off in the forest, just behind one of the farthest trees that Yang's light could reach. She craned her head toward her team-mates, pupils dilated. She felt the weight of every move she made and those she didn't, among which keeping her weapon trained on the damn thing.

"What is that...?" Blake's grave whisper came through the filter of her mask as her ears shifted under the lead-lined hood of her suit. Their Geiger counters hummed softly as they were, for now, in a less contaminated part of the City. Weiss shook her head, Myrtenaster already drawn out of instinct. Ruby looked down the scope of Crescent Rose, right at the strange, shimmering cloud... But whatever it was made up of, it... Or _they..._ Were to small to identify.

"We've gotta keep moving... Sis, I'll try and keep an eye on it while we do so." Yang offered as calmly as she could. Ruby nodded and the group got back on the 'beaten' path... Yang voiced again, in a combination of a whisper and whimper "Why do I feel like it's watching _me_ back?" to no one in particular, keeping the thing at least in the corner of her eye...

Until they passed a tree that obstructed her vision for a mere _millisecond._ That was all it took for that cloud of whatever it was to vanish...

 _"Shitshit_ _shit_ _shit_ _shit_ _shit... Chill, Yang, you'll be fine... Ya got a big gun, your teammates and your wits to survive this."_ The blonde thought to herself as her heart started to run off like a Machine Gun, turning her gaze away from that spot of the treeline. The rest of the advance down the hill was otherwise lax(save for the team's growing sense of dread). Once they found their first building, what looked like to be a ruined office block, its windows tinted black by the ash, or outright broken, its inner floors collapsed down to the First and through to the basement...

On the walls, probably unnoticed by the others as they passed through, were _silhouettes._ Ash from the people caught in the blast of the detonation of whatever broke apart this city. Yang's heart stopped for about a second as her light flashed over two silhouettes at below waist-high. Just from them, Yang could make out the possible age and the clothing they were wearing... _Kids..._

Blake placing a gloved hand on her shoulder took her out of her stupor. With a harmless snap, Yang's neck craned over toward Blake. Her amber eyes looked into hers from behind a fogged-up mask. She spoke softly "There's nothing we can do about this, Yang. I'm sorry for them as well, but... We gotta keep moving on." and all she got was a slow nod from her partner... The team kept moving through the silent outskirts of the town as wind howled around them, like the voices of the damned screaming for help...

As chilling as the quiet atmosphere was, the darkness of the city, only ever illuminated by a flash of lightning, brought it all together. The roads were broken up by black-green roots, but the plants were nowhere to be seen. The vehicles around, husks of old pre-Great War cars of whatever age and a few battle-scarred vehicles of the Great War itself, stayed, dusty and cobweb-filled.

"I really, _really_ don't like this place..." Weiss whimpered, looking around "Doesn't anyone else see the shadows?"

"Weiss, if you mean the stuff on the walls, I swear..." Yang muttered irately, trembling.

"No... There's things moving in the alleys..." Ruby added, her eyes locked onto one such alley where actually moving shadows milled around. She swallowed as they passed by an apartment block that was half-sunken into the ground, its other half cracked and... Covered by the same weird, black, green-shining roots as before. That sickly... Weird green.

Yang felt a chill... "Uh... Guys...?" She whimpered, slowly turning her head. Ruby and the others followed as the sound of... _Buzzing_ and... _Hissing..._ It became prominent enough to warrant them turning... Were their jaws visible and without gas masks, they would be on the floor... That floating cloud from before appeared, a stream of what looked like bugs. It shined that same sickly green at the girls...

And started combining itself...

Soon, out of the cloud, materializing itself, was a _faceless_ humanoid form, its five fingers sharpened into claws thick enough to cut through any armor plating... Its featureless head stared at them, two green, parallel lines running down to a perfectly-straight 'chin'... The girls stepped back, watching the monster with curiosity and fear, their guns trained at it...

The lines that made up its face flashed... Morphed into Ruby's maskless face for less than a second...

And it let out a shrill scream, deafening and disorienting the girls. Soon, into their blurred vision, a slew of monsters came into view... Humanoid, tall and lanky, almost entirely made up of the Grimm bone armor. Instead of the angry scarlet of old, their eyes shined a deep emerald. They looked like dessiccated corpses walking on their own two, weak feet. They stumbled, their almost _human_ groans and the noise of crackling joints and dragging claws following them

"GIRLS! RUN!" Ruby cried out to them, grabbing Weiss by the wrist and trying to dash off. Yang and Blake followed as fast as they could, stumbling. Yang looked back, eyes wide, and watched the strange creature dissipate into that same emerald cloud, surging forth toward them like a very angry Rapier Wasp hive, swimming through the air with ease.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE THINGS?!" Yang cried with tears in her eyes as fear itself seemed to be made manifest in their every move.

"I DON'T KNOW! JUST RUN, SIS!" Ruby yelled back, looking at the things as they stumbled over toward them... Something in the corner of her eye skittered toward them and before they could think of which way to take, Ruby and Weiss broke off to the left, whilst Yang and Blake turned to the right, dashing away from each-other by several city blocks, as if they didn't even think before they did that...

"Shit! Blake, I can't see Ruby or Weiss! I think we lost them when we split!" Yang cried out... And she looked forward, skidding to a halt as she saw... _No one_... "Oh..." She whimpered "Nononono... BLAKE! BLAAAKE!" She cried aloud, her heart sinking with every step she took. She screamed, her voice cracking "BLAAAAAAKE! BLAKE, _PLEASE_ , TELL ME YOU'RE OUT THERE! OH, GOD, PLEASE TELL ME I'M NOT ALONE!" and she looked back down the boulevard, intending to scream for her sister... But the cloud and those _things_ followed her... She looked around, with only a wall behind her... And she ran to the right, toward a block of broken buildings.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Yang swore to herself, kicking the door to the building in and running through... In the corner of her eye, she saw more of those creatures appear from the rooms around her. Their cracking joints sent shiver after shiver up Yang's spine. She ran and ran, trying to avoid them by turning a corner... There were lockers lining the walls, children's drawings on panels... This was a school...

No time to worry... She kicked the double doors that lead out of the place outward and ran onto the Football field, before slinging her shotgun onto her back and jumping onto the fence, climbing over it and running out into the street again. She stopped in the middle of the large four-lane road and looked left, right and center, only to see an alley... She heard the skittering talons of _something_ following her, but there was no time to stop, look back and shoot at it...

She ran to the left, trying to avoid more of those _things._ Those could not have been normal Grimm. No fucking way... Their moans became louder behind her...

"Fuck! Fuck!" She swore again to no one, her voice louder. She turned a corner down the side of the road and continued running forth, her eyes looking around at the destroyed buildings. A thousand pus-green eyes stared at her from each window... " _FUCK_!" She screamed fearfully, falling onto her ass as she saw another small horde of those things emerge from a building just to her right. She scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding, and raced to the left... Survive. _Survive_. That was all that mattered now... _Survive and find your friends_...

... Blake scrambled through an abandoned, broken-down office building, Gambol Shroud out and ready. She panted, her gas mask's visor fogging up as she looked back to see a part of that cloud trailing her. Six of those things followed behind, stumbling and groaning and crackling, but keeping pace. The cloud... The _thing_ that came out of the Cloud it... _It had Ruby's face... Oh, Gods!_

"Not me! YOU ARE _NOT_ TAKING ME!" She cried to it, turning around and firing from Gambol Shroud's pistol form. The rounds passed through the Swarm creature and harmlessly bounced off the outer shell of those shambling Zombie-Grimm. She went bug-eyed, before turning to keep running. Sheathing the pistol/gun of Gambol Shroud, Blake jumped through a window on the second floor of the building, landing and rolling, before springing to her feet in the middle of a street full of wrecked cars and running over them...

Get away. Get away. Getawaygetawaygetaway _getaway_ _getaway_ _getaway **GET AWAY!**_ _  
_

Weiss... Weiss had lost Ruby in the run... "No, no!" She stumbled, then turned the corner, before kicking in a building's door and hiding in whatever she could find. A closet, to be exact, before closing the door and holding Myrtenaster at the ready... She leaned back, sliding down the wall and listening as the shambling, moaning horde of creatures soon came inside...

 _Th-thump, Th-Thump, Th-Thump..._

Weiss panted, her heart firing on full-auto. She swallowed empty, sweat beading down from her brow to the bottom of her mask. She fumbled with Myrtenaster's dust chambers, loading in almost entirely fire cartridges... She felt she'd need them... _Hide... Hide. Hide and stay hidden... Hide... Please, Ruby, be okay... Please, please... Don't leave us..._

Yet in the darkness, few knew what was going on... Much less so Ruby...

 _Aboard the Mona Lisa... Many a dangerous plan were in motion..._ Where it could not actually be seen, the strange monstrosity that had caused the events of Chornyygrad stayed in its hole, hidden, its tendrils reaching far and deep into the city and its underground. Its children were nearly ready to be birthed... Meanwhile, the assimilated mass of these 'Grimm' monsters would soon find more for it to... _Eat._

... And Blue Team was none the wiser as to what was currently going on...


	52. Strelkovaya

Ruby felt herself being dragged... Her head hurt...

Her eyes refused to open, but she could hear, even with the ringing caused by whatever hit her... She could hear being dragged down what felt like _flesh_. She struggled a bit, trying to move her hands, but felt them numb. Her breathing was ragged... She tried to call out for help, but no word would come out of her mouth. So, instead, she let it go for a moment, until she could actually get her bearings...

Up high, a light flashed... Burgundy, the pilot of _Red Horse_ 's Marine contingent, tried to see what was below them. No light penetrated the darkness that was the chasm between the two halves of the ship. She swore to herself, then looked back at the others, keeping her MA5 close. Rabbit held the rear, while Rakesh and Cranker brought up the middle of their little column.

"Anything?" Rakesh asked, his shotgun at the ready.

"Ain't got shit... It's too deep and too dark for my light to get through." Burgundy said, looking up from the chasm's bottom toward the sky... Anything that could've helped them reach the other side of the ship would've been helpful. Burgundy prayed for it to exist and, as if on cue, God gave her a sign... A small catwalk at the top. No railings, nothing else but grating, but it was there... It was also not well-balanced...

"Better than nothing..." She murmured to herself. "Up there. Catwalk at my nine o'clock." before looking out the side of the hull breach. Buildings... "I'm also seeing buildings outside. Looks like a metropolitan center."

"Shit. Not a good crash-landing." Rabbit mused. "Wonder if it's wiped..."

"No time to think about that..." Burgundy sighed. "We gotta move. Meet with Sarge. And get the hell out of here, if possible." before standing up. The others followed, rifles in hand as they moved forward. Climbing to the top, where the Catwalk was, the squadron of four began their slow trek over it... Burgundy muttered to herself "Don't look down... Don't look down... Don't look down..." and kept her eyes and flashlight trained forward... The Catwalk groaned under the stress, nearly buckling.

"Fuck..." Rakesh swore.

"Easy, Rak." Rabbit warned. "We're fine for now..."

"Keep it tight." Burgundy said as they advanced. Reaching the end was easy. But hearing the damn thing break behind them and fall to the ground with a loud clang made them freeze... The woman heard her com ping and spoke "Sorry, Sarge... If ya heard that hit, it was us... We're moving out." before waving them forth "Let's double-time it... Would hate to know what the hell we just woke up with that..."

"With ya." Cranker answered, with the other two tailing not far behind.

As their feet slammed against the metal floors, the Marines soon found themselves listening for an extra set of footsteps behind them. Burgundy waved everyone to quicken their pace further and listened to see if the fifth one followed suit. It did... But it was far away and muffled. It could also have just been the reverb of their feet hitting the floor, but Burgundy wasn't taking chances. She raised her hand to stop, turning about and raising her rifle, pointing it and the flashlight at the source of sound...

A pair of glasses and an Assault Rifle came into view... "Burgundy!" He cheerfully waved...

"Tsardikos..." Burgundy sighed. "Scared the shit out of me, man. Thought you were one of those..."

"To hell with that... Listen, the others didn't know what was going on either. They sent me ahead to scout... Mahmoud, Percy and Simmons, that is." He noted, lowering his rifle and whistling. The others appeared, with tall, dark-skinned Mahmoud leaning his AR on his shoulder, a smile on his face. Burgundy sighed in relief. That made around 12 familiar faces alive. That left only Sydney, Maller, Ayad, Gerstein, Clarence and Singh.

"Good to see all of y'all again." She noted. "We've got 6 more MIA."

"That we do... Sarge's pro'lly waitin' for us." Rabbit noted. "Shall we pick up the pace?'

"Let's go. Two columns, staggered advance. All of us cover an angle, including up. Fuck knows if those things started hanging around in the vents to ambush us... And I sure as hell don't wanna live through some sort of 21st century Horror game at this point." Burgundy ordered, raising her rifle. "Man, I could be a Sergeant. I'm doing good with orders..."

"Uhm, Beegs? Not to sound bitchy, but, y'just invoked Mad Murph, I think." Rabbit said as they took formation. She wasn't wrong. And even Burgundy echoed that sentiment in a hum.

"Alright, forget what I said and let's go..." The red-haired Pilot said, stepping up to the front of the formation. They jumped to, quickening pace yet again down the maintenance corridors. Metal against boot, time and time again, echoed across the halls, their flashlights brightening every wall as they ran over them... The Marines were out there, hard and ready for a fight...

* * *

 ** _Back at Beacon..._**

Halsey paced in her and Ruby's workplace, looking over the last readings the Pelicans had sent before entering the Zone... Since then, a few days had passed with no sign or radio call from that. Some of the Spartans were getting restless, willing to enter the place just to help them. She had staved off that desire by delegating jobs to them. She was just as worried as them, but didn't want to show it...

She knew that Blue Team and the Marines could handle themselves, but team RWBY? She shouldn't lie to herself. She hated the thought of John and the others being there... Team RWBY just added more fuel to the fire of worry. A worry she hadn't felt before. She had to sit herself down for a moment and take a sip from her already-cold coffee, sighing deeply...

She heard footsteps and a door opening. Turning her head, she saw the familiar tan skin of Sienna entering the building, her eyes wide with awe at the machinery in the R&D section of Beacon. The Doctor stood up, dusting her labcoat off and asking "Something I can help you with, Lady Khan?" in a deadpan. Sienna had chosen to ignore her somewhat more blase demeanor...

"I've got some concerning mail from Menagerie, doctor... Aside from happiness to see me, the Belladonnas have sent me some weird sets of information regarding a company..." She said with a hint of distrust "It's not as much what they wanna do, it's that they're _human._ "

Halsey knit her eyebrows as the woman took out a Scroll Tablet, showing it to her... As much as she knew Sienna distrusted humanity still, she had to agree. A human company going to an all-Faunus settlement to build was concerning. And they didn't see it as . The mails mentioned the presence of a new company willing to invest in Kuo Kuana, to further expand the currently-strained settlement on Menagerie further into the mainland of the small continent. Their name irked Halsey... _Sigma Development_ Industries. She hummed, concerned.

"I'll send a Spartan as scout to Menagerie. It an only Faunus settlement?" She asked.

"Pretty much, yeah..." Sienna nodded. Halsey sighed... So Cal would do her own mission this time. She looked to Sienna, then suggested "You should probably travel with her... Stay hidden. If this is Shadow Doctrine or its cover face, I would be willing to bet they're looking for you." And she looked over to the items on the work benches. She picked out one, a more compact M7 Magnetic variant of the SMG, and handed it to Sienna.

The Faunus commander took it, surprised, then said "Uhm... Thanks?"

"Train with it. Ask any Marine that can to train with you, gather anyone, do favors for favors... And talk to the Covert Operations director and tell her of the developing situation, Lady Khan." Halsey said blankly. "As much as my trust in you lacks, to that same extent, I do not want to hear your people have fallen prey to the Shadows and become their pawns. The Faunus were misguided by a hatred toward Humanity, whom I can agree are bigoted themselves... But I'd rather we start on the right foot than go about killing each-other because the Doctrine wanted this."

"... Thank you." Sienna nodded "I'll try, but... What if they are actually a friendly company?"

"Have you heard of them before?" Halsey inquired. Sienna shook her head. She pressed on "Have you seen or heard of them do any work for Faunus in the Kingdoms? How about outside?" and another shake of the head... "Don't you think you'd have heard of them doing this kind of work?" and a nod... She hummed "Then you see where I come from. It's a possible Shell company, serving Shadow Doctrine's interests. An educated guess, really, but I'll believe them capable of any and everything until I am proven otherwise."

Sienna nodded... Halsey was a terrifyingly smart woman...

"Now, move along, Lady Khan. I have much work to do..." Halsey said, turning.

"Wait... One more question." Sienna said... Noticing Halsey stop, she asked away "Where are the Master Chief and his compatriots? And team RWBY?"

"In a place I believe the folk tales of Remnant call 'The Exclusion Zone'..." Halsey answered, watching all color drain from Sienna's face, before asking "Something wrong?" and seeing Sienna take out her Scroll and open a folder... _Zone Excursion._ The title felt ominous enough to her, but watching Sienna's paling figure stand before her, showing Halsey the new intel...

Ozpin, Ozpin, Ozpin... You omit too many things...

And this time? You may get one of Halsey's Spartans killed...

* * *

The Spartans tailed Nadya as they advanced deeper into the city. Their rifle lights traced the paths down which they all looked, to cover every path, even the sky. The eerie sense of honest-to-god fear had gotten back to the group, though less noticeable this time. Chief advanced into one of the buildings, where furniture and personal effects lay strewn about. On the side, he could swear he saw a Skeleton...

He raised his hand. The group halted. He pointed toward the Skeleton and Kelly bounded toward it. In two leaps, she was there, taking a knee. A brown uniform with steel plate armor and a steel helmet resembling the American M2. Beside the corpse was a rifle, its wooden stock rotted away, its bayonet rusty and its barrel bent. Kelly looked over the badges on the man and over the calcification and said "Huh... Guy must've died a century ago."

"Great War soldier." Nadya noted. "Valeian."

Chief looked to her. She added "They fought here when Vacuo was nearly overrun. Retook control of the city... Then the Accident occurred and this place was doomed, as was the small Army Group sent to defend it." to which the Spartans and Marines all looked around. Indeed, the cracked windows showed signs of bullets... And even the man's armor had a similar fate. Kelly looked out into the courtyard of the building, to notice two corpses wearing lighter, but also seemingly better defensive armor. It was supposed to be a pure white, but said white was charred.

... Mantle troops?

"They got this far inland?" Johnson voiced everyone's question. "Huh, thought the Atlas folk would've been beaten back in that place y'all call Vacuo... Jenkins, Mendoza, do me a favor and go check up on'em."

"Can we do you a favor later, Sarge?" Jenkins whined, trembling.

"Double-time it, asshats." Johnson ordered. "We'll cover you."

With resigned sighs, the Marines stepped off on double-time, dashing toward the skeletal remains of the Atlas soldiers. Said soldiers hauled rifles and Sub-Machine Guns similar to their own, but without the magnetic properties. One was an officer. The other was a simple soldier. The color faded out of the uniforms and the ash from the detonation had settled, darkening them.

"They're dead as disco, sir." Mendoza called back. He looked up at one of the faces of the building ahead, to see a pulsating... Vein or something. He didn't know. It looked like a root from the tree above had dug too deep into the concrete. He hummed, then looked back as he watched the team approach. Nadya pointed toward a Subway entry point and at the faded writing above. Strelkovaya Station...

"It's dark..." Nadya murmured, surprised... She spoke into her close-range communication piece " _Strelkovaya Stantsiynyy forpost, tse Nadiya. Povtoryuyu, Strelkovaya Stantsiynyy forpost, tse Nadiya. Shcho trapylos'?_ " in a language only Linda recognized as she approached her side... Ukrainian? Nadya looked to them and shook her head. A slight tremble was now visible in her movement.

"Approach with Caution." Chief ordered, raising his rifle.

"Ukrainian?" Linda looked to Nadya.

"Local dialect. Didn't have a name for it..." The woman answered. "I'll lead... Best be me up front so we don't get shot at." And she put on what looked like an armored front plate on her mask. John had now noticed she had a neck brace armor plate. Weird. The team walked into the metro station, walls lit only by a few fire Dust lamps and their own weapons. They stepped deeper and deeper downward until they entered the Station itself, a corridor of pillars and an arched roof of marble, with a floor made of carved stone... There were tables and consoles lining the walls and pillars and on the right track, there was even a broken-down, rusty tram...

No lights, nor electricity, however...

"Chervo!? Syniy!?" Nadya cried out, lowering her rifle. "Chervo! Syniy!" The place gave everyone the creeps... Even as John scanned the beautiful walls and arched roof, his light bouncing off the incredible images painted above, of warriors and Huntsmen dueling the Grimm and of Gods and Monsters making deals, he didn't want to be here any more than he had to... Cortana looked to him, a very similar feeling taking her as well... She was supposed to be an AI, but what was going on... She didn't know.

The squadron of soldiers scattered and searched the entire area. Entering the tram yielded nothing aside from what looked like bunk beds 'built' by the inhabitants of the Station outpost out of Scrap metal and whatever they could salvage from upstairs. Between the cars, there were racks with assault rifles inside. None were touched, as far as one could see... Though if they looked at the bunk beds, they saw small droplets of blood...

The place was unnerving. And when it was unnerving to an AI, she herself had to reconnoiter the place. Taking John and Nadiya with her, the woman walked up to what looked like a small laptop with holographic displays. Thankfully, whilst Cortana doubted this little development, the device still had power, so she booted it up... A small screen-saver appeared, a picture with a man and a woman. And Nadya sighed, then added somberly "Chervo and his wife."

Cortana hummed, then leaned in and started typing commands. Her algorithms linked quickly with the system's. It was more archaic than the CCTS's network and it ran on wires... Cortana traced one such wire down to the tracks on the left side, where no train was present... But at least they had some sort of intranet to look up and work with. She tapped in a few more lines, then found it... She pulled up a written electronic diary...

Cortana turned to Nadya... Who gave a wordless nod...

 ** _LOGIN:CHERNO1213_**

 ** _PASSWORD:********_**

 ** _THE DIARY OF MY EXPERIENCES IN THE ZONE_**

 ** _DAY 641-"Strelkovaya! New Outpost location"_**

 _It's been a while since I've written in this damn thing! Hello! I'm Lieutenant Cherno Chenko(Yes, yes, very funny) and I'm part of the Command Staff of the newly-founded Strelkovaya Station outpost! I was originally part of 2-5's staff, where the Commander and her main staff resided! Heh, I guess Nadya really wanted me and Nina to find ourselves an actual place to stay and not pester her! Well, she'll be happy to hear we set up camp and I've started preparing the infrastructure, including the Runners' beds and the 'Mailbox'. We've been running operational scouting since two weeks ago to find a good spot and approach the center of the Exclusion Zone and Strelkovaya was just perfect for that! It gives us a nice hideout from the Blowouts, which get progressively worse the deeper you go into the city and it also gives us a nice view to the... Whatever that is, crashed in the middle of our ancestors' town! I'd lie if I said I wasn't happy with my find! But for now, no gloating. I have to keep working on setting up our accommodations here. Write again in another couple days, I hope._

 ** _(SKIP)_**

 ** _Day 732-"Strange Roots and Bandits!"_**

 _Seems as though humanity's primal instinct of survival still kicks in even in a shithole like Chornyygrad! Not gonna lie, at first I was happy to see other humans, but when these fuckers started firing at us, I had half a mind to tell whatever deity and whatever people are still out there, in the sky and Kingdoms, respectively, to shove their research mission up their asses! Eitherway, we've got one wounded, not too bad, but his suit was ruptured. We were lucky to get him back alive, though he's sick. Whilst we were exploring the Garda Park, we found some strange roots, also! And trees, too! Big, with black and yellow bulbs of... Well, I was gonna say pus, but I don't really know! We've heard this thing was called "The Flesh that Hates", but... I'm not sure what it is. Eitherway, I'll sign off here... Gotta go treat our wounded._

 ** _(SKIP)_**

 ** _Day 800(LOGGED 2 DAYS AGO)-"Odd behavior..."_**

 _Shit's been getting weird around camp... Reports of people calling for help, of sickness spreading through the air... And the guy we nearly lost a month ago is now mumbling something or other about a 'Key to the Mind'... I think. Some of our scouts have also reported a possible infestation of that new type of Grimm worm nearby. Nobody really knows its real size, but if I were to hazard a guess, it's not that dangerous as the last few we've seen. Probably not the Outpost-Wiping kind. I've been starting to feel rather sick myself... And some of the boys said I have a rash on the back of my neck... God, I hope Nina is ok... I gotta log off, check on our ammo and meds... And check everyone's necks..._

 ** _END_**

"That's it?" Nadya asked, pushing Cortana aside "That can't be it... Those things can't be..." She pursed her lips "Please, Cherno, please..."

"What? What's wrong?" Cortana asked.

"Hey! We... Ugh... We found something?!" Mendonza reported. "Don't... Know what the fuck happened, though!" and, with that, Nadya, the Chief and Cortana rushed toward the train. Going to the third car from the back, they saw it... And Nadya swallowed, eyes bugging out... A dessicated corpse lay on the floor, his gas mask broken. His uniform was bloody, full of holes... And the pool of blood below his feet, tarry and dark as night, was rather fresh. Nadya took a knee beside him and pulled him toward her... Only for the Chief and the others to see a broken back-of-the-neck armor plate...

"... Oh, _nye_..." Nadya whispered... This was so very not good... The woman felt her stomach turn inside out as she scanned the floor... And a screech came from above, that sent a chill down her spine, when she gazed up.

* * *

 **Translation**

 **Ukrainian-English**

 _Strelkovaya Stantsiynyy forpost, tse Nadiya. Povtoryuyu, Strelkovaya Stantsiynyy forpost, tse Nadiya. Shcho trapylos'?-Strelkovaya Station outpost, this is Nadya. I repeat, Strelkovaya Station outpost, this is Nadya. What happened/report?_


	53. Inundatio

Weiss was lucky. She managed to run away and lose the Grimm... The Heads-Up Display on her Gas Mask's visor, however, seemed either damaged or... She took a left on the boulevard, Myrtenaster in her hand. Those pulsating veins or roots were a bit horrifying. Even more so when she saw them dig into concrete walls. The girl stumbled as she ran on... She didn't want to stop for any reason whatsoever. She was either going to meet the others, or find some more Stalkers and stay put...

Where were the others? She heard the faint thrum of gunfire echo in the far distance. She would head for it, but... The chance of encountering more of those things was unnerving enough... Her footfalls started to slow, until she was simply walking instead of running. Her eyes scanned every corner, Myrtenaster drawn and ready and the SMG she had been given as a secondary waiting to be unholstered.

She walked toward one of the strange roots, resembling of fleshy reeds, before taking a knee next to one. It flashed scarlet once, twice... Thrice. It was like blood pumping to the tip of a rather elongated tentacle. The pus-filled outgrowths on it, however, were even more odd. Weiss had a feeling that they moved and if a light passed through them, which rarely happened, she could swear she saw something moving within.

The girl was irritated by her rapid-fire heartbeat. It hadn't slowed down since they went and left the first Stalker outpost. And it wasn't slowing down now either.

"Ugh... Yang, I swear, if I ever follow you and Ruby into another suicide mission like this..." She murmured... Then whimpered "Please, please, _please_ be alive..." before standing to her feet and stowing Myrtenaster... She turned around and jumped back, SMG in one hand and rapier in the other as she saw a man standing before her... He was wearing a Stalker's outfit, rifle included and his gas mask, an improvised one made out of some tubing and the head of an Atlesian Knight 2000, apparently, had its visor fogged up and black.

He waved to her... She waved back, awkwardly...

... In another part of the city, Yang ran... She'd been running for the better part of an hour, trying to circle around to the way they came... And as she did so, the sounds of gunfire drew ever closer. They were muffled, but they had a slight reverb, as if the fighting was in a closed tunnel... She ran toward the noise, breaking through glass windows as she ran through buildings and old restaurants, only to see an old underground train station... She racked her Shotgun, taking a knee behind one of the walls of the old restaurant she was in...

She gasped, watching Spartans and Marines pile out of the place, emptying magazine after magazine into what looked like a horde of... Stalkers?!

The strange soldiers shambled out, guns roaring back in response to the Spartans. Bullets sparked off their armors and shields and small critters attempted to get through to the Marines and to a fighting and screaming Nadyia, who emptied her AR into the horde, aiming at their heads. Linda jumped a sizable distance back, taking a knee, shouldering her rifle and firing. Six shots left the barrel in the span of 2 seconds, each nailing several of the hostile Stalkers through the head...

If Yang looked better, she could see a faint orange glow behind the goggles of the Stalkers' gas masks. The strange horde fell to the accurate gunfire of the UNSC squadron... But one Marine was unlucky. Three rounds punctured his armor's chest plate, sending him to the floor. Yang saw the critters, strange GRIMM WORMS slither toward the man. Nadyia's rifle barked again and three of the damn things died and dissolved before they got to the Marine, but others made it, dragging the screaming man into the horde.

"CORTEZ! FUCK!" Mendoza cried with fury, raising his rifle and dumping even more rounds into the wall of human meat and Grimm worms... "COME ON, _PENDEJOS!_ GET SOME!"

Linda looked to her right, just in time to see the blur that was Yang appear, raising her shotgun and firing. She had managed to empty her magazine of dust-infused rounds into the horde, knocking them back and killing a multitude of them by sheer number of penetrating wounds. Sam turned to Yang, lowering his MA40, before asking "Yang! What are you doing here!?"

"Long story! We gotta go!" Yang yelled back, her voice cracking... Sam could see tears welling in Yang's eyes as they fought on. Chief waved everyone back as he pulled out a Frag Grenade. The group scrambled to his back as he primed, armed and threw it into the crowd. The detonation that ensued made the supports of the entryway's roof buckle, concrete and dirt crashing down upon the group of critters and... Whatever those Stalkers had become...

As the team caught a breather, Yang fell to her knees, clawing at her mask, unable to breathe... She felt a hand on her shoulder, before looking up, her eyes red from the tears now streaming down her cheeks. She knew it was him simply because of his ID Number, painted onto the left side of his chest plate. He was trying to comfort her... Biting down on her feelings and trying not to break down into tears, Yang answered the yet-unasked question "Ruby thought it'd be a good idea to come after you... And when we did, we got ourselves stalked by something... I don't..." She shook her head, voice cracking "We all... Wanted to protest at first, hell, Weiss was vehement about protesting, but... For some reason, we all agreed to tag along... We were split by the damn Grimm and whatever that cloud of bugs was...!"

Nadyia walked up beside Sam and knelt too, before inquiring, her eyes focused on Yang "You met a Specter? Did it take a humanoid form?"

Yang nodded quickly, before her voice went to a whisper "... It had Ruby's face for a moment..."

"It'll be fine, Yang..." Sam reassured her as best he could, looking to Nadiya as a warning. He then turned back toward her and asked "Do you have any idea which way anyone went when you split?" before receiving a shake of the head. He had to find a way to calm her down, going simply by her ever-increasing heart-rate. So, he de-polarized his helmet's visor, to have Yang look him straight in the eyes, before saying "We'll go find them, alright? They can't have gotten far..."

"May I suggest not going with any smaller a group than this?" Nadyia noted, waving toward the rest of the team. "They were four. Careless not to listen to warnings of going in bigger groups... The Grimm here are smart. They know not to engage groups unless they think they outnumber them. Look at what a single Specter did to them. Divided them."

"There... Were other things... Tall, lanky, ugly... They looked like Skeletons, but... Their eyes and the patterns on their bone plating were colored green..." Yang added... "I don't think I've felt this kind of existential dread since I was four..."

Sam helped her to her feet, then looked to John and said "Chief, I'm gonna take Yang. We're gonna go find the rest of her team... Preferably while avoiding the Grimm." before pulling a C12 Demo charge pack off his back and tossing it to Kelly, alongside a detonator, and saying "I'm gonna say you'll need at least one Det Pack while I'm away. Kells, I trust you to arm it."

"Aye. Got it." Kelly nodded.

John looked to Sam, then sighed... He walked up to the man and said "Take care of yourself, Sam. And find them."

"Master Chief... Can I oppose the idea of further splitting our group?" The Stalker commander inquired, walking face-to-face with the duet. "I want those girls to be fine as much as you do, but sending off one of our best with one of them to find the others..." She tried to tiptoe around saying anything about them possibly being dead... "All the while, the Flesh that Hates and its little minions are around...? I'm not certain it's smart."

"I trust Petty Officer Samuel enough, Kapitan." John said in warning. Turning to his compatriot, he nodded "Take care of yourselves... And Yang?"

She looked to John... A gaze full of hope and fear... He nodded, then said "Sam'll find them with you. Don't worry."

With a nod from both, the duo departed... And John turned, walking out. Those that remained in the group followed quickly behind...

... Her head throbbed with pain... And it wasn't the usual headache you'd get post-training when your Aura was drained and you were tired. No, this was a kind of pain Ruby hadn't felt much before. The wet sound of skin and flesh being dragged around didn't help much either... Groaning as she tried to open her eyes, Ruby was blinded by a flashing red light. She shook her head, trying to clear the blur, before shifting, moving... Trying to free herself from a fleshy prison. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the faint light, she soon saw where she was...

Her eyes went wide at the sight of a mass of infected flesh, going from the top of the chasm she was in down to the very floor she was hanging over. Pustules pulsed beside her and on the walls, sacks of what looked like eggs sitting deep below, in the lowest part of the chasm, tentacles of flesh squirmed and small creatures, like the combination between a bug and a water balloon, skittered past her. A swarm of them... Her mouth agape, she watched as taller, more dangerous creatures appeared. Four-legged, broken and malformed human corpses, mangled together in heaps of blood, bones and biomass, skittered below her...

Forms resembling mutated frogs hanged off the walls not too far from her, resembling 'turrets', sharp bone fragments sticking out of open mouths, poised to be launched at anything that moved... She saw even the swarm of bugs that attacked her flying around, shining that sickly yellow. She wanted to scream. She definitely, _definitely_ wanted to scream as more and more gruesome details, from human hands sticking out of the walls of the place, to a gigantic tentacle-filled pod in the middle of the whole complex, but she had no strength... Looking at herself, she saw some of those roots that were embedded in the city's buildings now held her strapped to one of the many 'walls of flesh' in the place...

Her CBRN Gear was still thankfully on her and her Aura was up to full, but that didn't help alleviate her heart firing off. Even her suit warned her her pulse was going beyond normal limits as she kept looking around. Sweat flooded her mask as she froze, locking her eyes onto a gangly humanoid creature that was in the center of this entire thing. It looked right at her, whatever it was...

The ambiance of the place wasn't nice either, with groaning, hissing and such all around...

Ruby watched the spindly figure tilt its head, curious, as it watched her. The silver-eyed Huntress pursed her lips, praying to the Gods that this damn thing wouldn't start coming toward her, but knowing her luck today... Oh, Gods, girls, she hoped they were okay... The small balloon animal things skittered toward her on the wall, like little spiders... She closed her eyes, praying silently to whomever would listen... And they moved past her... But as she opened her eyes, she'd lost sight of the tall humanoid...

... Oh, no...

... On the _Mona Lisa's_ decks, Lopez kicked a door down with enough force to think she'd suddenly turned Spartan... Chuckling, she said "Yep... Still got it." before waving Henry forward, rifle raised and at the ready. She scanned the room they found themselves in, before a greying person clad in medical garments appeared... The woman didn't hesitate to dump fifteen of her 32 rounds into the man before he could call out to her to stop. Blood spattered the steel wall where the corpse of ONI Major John Smith now lay... And Lopez lowered her rifle, before going to the man, kicking his corpse once and then spitting on him... "Motherfucker."

She walked away, satisfied with a job well done, before inserting a fresh magazine into her rifle. She could swear she heard Henry chuckle as they walked out of the Medical Ward... And rifles welcomed them. The voice of a pissed-off Asian Corpsman echoed "Weapons down Orlav, MacGraw!" as she walked up to meet the Sergeant. Zhao Heng Lopez grinned as she saw Ngoc Benti walk before her.

"Sarge." Benti nodded.

"Benti, Orlav, MacGraw. Helluva welcome committee for Mama." She quipped.

"Good to see you, mama." Orlav smiled.

"Yeah. Happy to see you're okay, Sarge." MacGraw grinned. He peeked into the room and chuckled "Holy shit, Sarge wasted the Spook!" to which Benti and Orlav simply nodded in approval. Son of a bitch did deserve it... And as boots came thundering down from the Hallway they'd entered, the five-man team prepared weapons. Short red hair turning the corner first made them reconsider that as they saw Burgundy appear.

"Holy shit, Sarge..." The Pilot slowed her step, looking to the dead Smith "You wasted the Spook?"

Lopez shrugged. "Yeah." before turning around and making a head-count... Everyone was here. She looked to her Marines, then piped up "Alright ,ladies and gents! Looks like we're alive and kicking! I'd waste my time with some mind-boggling speech about how glad I am you're all alive and all that, but you know Mama well enough to know that's not how I roll. So ready your weapons... We're on a crashed ship with possible Freaks everywhere. Drop your cocks and grab your socks, Marines! We're back in fucking business!" And she racked her rifle to signal her meaning.

The Marines hollered "HOO'RAH!" in response, readying their weapons too... Henry nodded.

"We're getting off this boat and to whatever is outside and we're finding the nearest fucking beach to take our Shore Leave on, girls serving drinks and all the amenities, but until then? Let's kick some fucking freak ass!" She grinned. The Marines cheered again as they filed out neatly into the corridor of the ship, weapons at the ready. They established a moving base of fire in case any freak showed up, before Lopez took the lead, to find the nearest lower deck to blast a wall open and get the fuck out...

... And then, shore leave for everyone.


	54. Omake 1:A Bee and a Wolf

**_AN:Alright, starting from here, I'm thinking I'm gonna do smaller, omake chapters that follow and further develop characters we already have, like team RWBY... Or in this case, Sam and Yang as they search for Blake and find... Well, SPOILERS._**

* * *

Yang and Sam tried to trace back the path Yang took, to see if they could find where the team split... And Sam could hear Yang's heart beat faster and faster. She turned to him the moment she felt him stare and, even past the polarized golden visor, Yang could feel the worry radiate from the face-plate. She smiled weakly, then said "Hey, you said it yourself... We'll find them... Right?"

Sam nodded... He sighed... He knew Yang and Blake were close. And Ruby was Yang's sister after all. Weiss, meanwhile, was very close with Ruby, so... The team mechanics between the girls felt familiar. He squelched that thought, stowing it away for now as he raised his rifle and, with it, the flashlight attached below the barrel. The pair scanned the walls and windows, moving down the center of the overgrown street. There were no cars here, surprisingly enough, nor any wrecks... Well, save for a crashed aircraft that was inside one of the many buildings around.

"Sam?" Yang started.

"Hmm?" He answered. He had a feeling...

"How close are you and Blake?"

And there it was. He was right...

"We're good friends." The Spartan said, his voice stern. Yang knew he was trying to hide his worries. He added with a more worried tone, looking back to Yang "I'm worried about her too, as I am worried for your whole team." as they walked. Yang smiled at his little wording. Guy probably liked Blake too, but didn't realize it fully yet. The duet continued their advance down the street, before turning a corner...

... They saw a dozen corpses of Stalkers, bleeding out in the street, no masks or helmets or anything on. They had Glasgow Smiles cut into their faces, their throats slit or their necks snapped by a crushing force. Yang froze, wanting to cover her mouth but remembering she had a mask on. Sam watched his Motion Tracker for pings, but found only one grey dot in the center of it all... And indeed, seated in the middle of all this, was...

"Blake?" Yang gasped. "Oh, my god, Blake! What happened here!" She worriedly started, wanting to go toward her... Sam put a hand in front of her, stopping her. He looked to her and shook his head, before raising his rifle... He spoke calmly "Blake...? Can you hear us?" as he gave her a once-over... Pale skin, odd, red and grey clothes with a blood-red, puffy 'snake' instead of the CBRN suit and her arms going black from the elbow down, hidden in front of her.

Her cat ears twitched, her head turning slightly. She looked toward them, a scarlet iris on a black sclera staring at them, veins popping around her eye. Her mouth was hidden by her shoulder, but Sam could see some sort of protective mask over it. "Sam...? Saaaa~mmm." She spoke. The Spartan felt a chill shoot up his spine... 'Blake'... Or whatever this was, stood up.

... Its 'arms', a pair of long, black, Grimm-like tentacles with sharp, bloody blades at the end extended. The humanoid creature wore a strange outfit, formed out of a kimono with black and red and a strange overcoat with the red tuft of fur around the neck area. The mask she had on her face was like that of a Samurai's. An Oni mask, with red fangs and sharp teeth...

One of the blade-tipped tentacles lifted off the ground, wrapping 'round the nozzle, pulling it off... And both Spartan and Huntress staggered, taking two steps back and raising their weapons. Blake's cheeks were split open, cut into a similar smile to those of the guys dead on the floor around her. The Glasgow Smile was terrifying in and of itself... But the missing skin made way to reveal razor-sharp teeth... And it spoke, its voice a combination of sadness and anger "Where were you, Saaaa~m...? These things took me."

"Blake..." Sam whispered, shocked. "What happened?"

"They caught me... Sam..." Her head slightly tilted to the right, scarlet eyes narrowed at him in hatred. "You failed to save me."

Sam shook his head "We can still fix this... C'mon, Doctor Halsey must know some way to-"

"You _failed!_ " It hollered at them, its mouth opening to an inhuman size as it screamed... Whatever this was... No... Sam felt a pit form in his stomach, doubling over.

"N-No way... Blakey, we barely split an hour ago, you couldn't... Blake, look at me, please..." Yang raised her Shotgun... She watched the Faunus creature look at her, confused... And something started to boil in Yang. The stare of confusion that creature gave, if even for a second, was enough to tell Yang one thing. The Blonde Brawler's eyes went red on their own as she racked the shotgun's pump... And she affirmed loudly "You ain't Blake... _What the fuck did you do to her, you cheap Grimm Knockoff?!_

Sam looked to Yang, about to question her... When the creature started giggling. The man turned toward it as the cackle, more of a gurgle than a laugh, escaped the throat of 'Blake'... It squinted, its head bobbing from left to right "Guess this little kitten's memories weren't complete yet... I didn't account for you tagging along with the Spartan there... Yang Xiao-Long."

"Oh, what the fuck..." Yang murmured...

"Too bad you won't be getting to the cat anytime soon..." The creature laughed... And the two bladed tentacles that served for her arms lashed out toward the duet. Yang jumped back, dodging the strike, while Sam let the blade strike his armor. It sparked, nearly cutting into one of the exposed joints before deflecting off the main left shoulder plate. He grabbed the tentacle, wrapping it around his arm, before raising his rifle and emptying the magazine toward the creature... She jumped back, pulling him toward her enough to make his heels dig deep into the shattered, overgrown concrete road below. The creature's smile, Yang couldn't tell if it was just the eviscerated face or an actual one, was terrifying. She chuckled "Oh, _please,_ Samuel. You think yourself the strongest here?"

Sam growled, trying to win the Tug of War between him and the damn thing that was wearing Blake's face, before saying "Nah, just trying to see how tough Grimm copies are."

"Oh, you'll be pleasantly surprised~." She quipped, before her other arm lashed out toward Yang. She pulled herself forward, using Sam as aid to that, before lunging at both the Huntress and soldier with her free blade arm. She grinned, before pushing both of her feet, which had armored boots on, forward. She kicked Sam forward, forcing him to let go of her arm as he skidded back a good two feet. He found himself in need to stop another bladed arm from slashing him across the chest.

Yang's shotgun barked as the Blonde tried to close the gap, gritting her teeth. The midsection of the tentacle arm that sent her flying didn't much agree to the sudden closeness. She dodged Sam's right cross, before bringing her right arm to bear onto him, wrapping it around his waist and slamming him into the support pylon of a building ahead.

Two rounds from Yang's shotgun, these ones slugs, screamed toward the thing. One stubbed mid air, while the other was caught by the Grimm left arm. 'Blake's claws dashed toward Yang, while Sam's rifle rippled from his position, the Spartan having just gotten back to his feet. She turned to focus on him after feeling contact with the blonde. She charged him, both blades slashing an X on his armor's chest plate, leaving scrapes in the paint and part of the black body-suit. She laughed as she saw her blade cut through the midsection, drawing a bit of blood.

Sam grunted, looking down at the midsection of his armor as blood seeped through the tiny cut... This was not good. The bitch found his armor's weakness... He had to either play defensive or go even more aggressive now. Aggressiveness seemed to pay off for a start, because of a distraction now caused by Yang. She had pounced out, a major wound in her side and her hair burning golden as she dumped shell after shell into the monster...

Sam's clenched fist connected with the Grimm copy's midsection, before his other hand wrapped around her throat. Using his entire body mass, the Spartan threw himself and the creature to the ground, with it being below him. He grabbed both of its arms, pinning them down and headbutting the creature hard enough for him to hear a crack... Black blood oozed from the creature's broken nose, but it soon healed as it tried to bite at his visor.

"What the fuck are you?!" Yang bellowed, approaching the damn thing and putting the barrel of her shotgun in its face...

"Oh, girly... You know stories of Doppelgangers, right?" She chuckled... Before she herself brought her forehead to bear against Sam's chin armor, sending him off of her and lashing toward Yang again. The blonde fired twice, before her gun clicked empty. The monster cackled maniacally as she went for a bite. Yang caught the teeth with her right forearm. The lead-lined suit tore at the seams and blood seeped through the wound as Yang's Aura flashed and failed. The blonde screamed as she cocked her fist back to punch the creature off of her. Her left hook connected with the thing's mouth, effectively digging the teeth deeper into her arm...

Sam stumbled, his eyes bloodshot after the incredible hit the creature managed to deliver... But Yang's screaming tore him out of his stupor. He gasped, watching the blonde struggling to loosen the shark-like Grip of the creature... He glared at the monster, before dropping his empty magazine and sliding in a fresh special ammunitions mag... With an orange stripe... He raised the rifle and opened up... Fire enveloped the monster's clothes as its jaw loosed from Yang's torn arm. It staggered, but flung the fire off of herself as easily as she would've a bug... Before looking to Sam...

She chuckled as she gazed upon the angry soldier, backing away as he approached. She wasn't afraid, but instead curious. "This was fun, Sam... You and Yang proved to be quite the challenge, but I'm afraid I may have to go. Don't spoil the surprise to the others, okay? We'll see each-other again real soon... And this time, I may just bring a _friend..._ " And as two more shots whizzed past her, she laughed... And soon vanished into a cloud of black.

Sam kept his gun pointed at the smoke while it dissipated... But Yang's whimpering made him turn to her. He dashed to her side, quickly pulling out medical gear from his belt. He disinfected her wound with an alcohol-based substance, making her hiss, breathing in through her teeth... And even as she tried to tough it out, Sam could see tears in the corners of her eyes. His Heads-Up Display pulled up data on local rad levels... And thankfully, this was a pocket of relatively low Roetgens.

He took his helmet and her mask off, before looking her in her red eyes...

"Bitch got me good..." She whimpered, holding onto her arm as Sam bandaged it. He wrapped the bandage neatly, tightening it around the now-dressed and cleaned wound,before saying "It'll be fine... Doesn't look like it got to break bone."

Yang was worried, but her red eyes now returned to their lilac of old... She was still hurting... Sam looked at her, then said "That thing must've just nicked Blake's face and appearance... I don't doubt we'll find her soon, okay?"

She nodded... He smiled at her, then said "Hey..." trying to take her mind away from the pain... And it seemed to be working. Blood seemed to rush to her cheeks, from her wound. He helped her up, then placed a hand on her shoulders... And Yang could finally see why Blake had a thing for this guy. She looked away, blushing in embarrassment, before she was handed her mask again. He slid his own helmet on his head and she put her mask on... And the two moved on forward...


	55. Omake 2:Black Betty's Bambalam

**_Aboard UNSC Pelican Charile-3-3, late in the evening..._**

 _"Reports from the police have confirmed the discovery of the Black Hand Killer's possible hideout. The infamous murderer has been terrorizing Vale for the better part of 2 years, preying on anyone they could find, gathering quite the following of nasty criminals. Today, Police Chief Sweeney has asked directly for help from the enigmatic organization simply known as SWORD, known for their interventions after the burning of the habitation block within the Industrial Sector, as well as the post-Terror Attack elimination of all White Fang bases of operation within Vale's borders..."_

As the news report continued to play over Radio, Six checked her gun. Racking the bolt, she slid the weapon on her back. The only one standing up, Noble Six stared at the hold full of ODSTs with silenced variations of their magnetic weapons with a grin. The men checked, prepped and cocked M7 Mag SMGs, rifles and some even brandished non-lethal Tasers and Flash grenades.

Vale police was courteous enough to provide them some extra equipment before their deployment. Six felt a slight shift in the Pelican's engines. The forward momentum reduced as the aircraft began touchdown. The Street had been cordoned off, as far as the girl could see. Reporters from VNN and smaller Newspapers and channels were present with film crews and cameras, behind the police cordon. Twelve cars and six SWAT vans were present...

Were they expecting a fucking cult...? Then again, she came in with a squad of heavily-armored Shock Troops, so...

Alice was the first out of the bird, with her ODSTs trailing not too far behind. She turned toward the American-style line of houses and started walking toward the man in the middle of it all. A SWAT officer with relatively light gear... Sitting over a line of 10 Body Bags. Well, that was foreboding enough. She looked to the ODST Sergeant and said "Eyes open. Windows and roofs. Anything moves up there that isn't SWAT, gun it the fuck down."

"Aye aye." The Trooper nodded, readying his rifle. "Alright, scatter and keep your eyes open! Rooftops and windows are to be watched constantly! If you see anything move or poke a barrel out at you, identify, tag and gun it down!" He then barked, waving forth the squadron. As they scattered to join the SWAT surrounding the house, Alice walked up to the SWAT Officer...

"Take it it's _not_ some side-street stabby fucker then..." She spoke, taking his attention to her. The raven-haired, blue-eyed man shook his head.

"Nah, asshole's good... And he got what's basically a cult following of wannabes and Copycats... And somehow, all of them got hold of guns that don't resemble anythin' produced locally. Fuck, they're military-tier weaponry..." He noted, crossing his arms. Alice had a nagging feeling... He looked to her, noticing her fully and giving her a once-over, before adding with a smirk "Well, ain't you a battering ram of a woman."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Alice quipped, looking at the doors and windows... Windows were boarded up. No light... Probably murder-holes in them that they could peek out of, shoot and cover back up. She started formulating an entry plan, before saying "I want snipers covering every window. We brought high-caliber Anti-Materiel rifles to deal with any kind of cover they may have. Post them up with your men... I'll be taking a breaching kit and three of mine with Shotguns and we'll be sweeping the place, starting from the garage..." She pointed to the sunken-in road portion of the house with a large electric door "To the attic." She pointed up.

"You seem to've got this all figured out." The Captain mused. "Whaddaya need me and my boys to do?"

"Keep watch around the house. Make sure the asshole and his cult doesn't escape... We here to kill or incap?"

"Incap if possible. Need some intel from him."

"Right..." Alice grinned. "Hunter, Reeves, Rick, with me." She then called them in through comm. The trio of ODSTs promptly joined her as the snipers posted themselves up on higher ground. The team prepared for a tactical insertion, forming up into a wedge and advancing toward the garage's side door. The Spartan removed the magazine from her rifle, opting instead to switch to something Ruby had gifted to the UNSC's Tactical Units before leaving on that op to the Zone. Thermite Breaching Rounds. Whilst you'd usually expect these to be fired out of specialized breaching shotguns...

Ruby was quite inventive in making the magnetic slugs of the new range of Mag weapons very versatile... Thank you, Rose Industries LTD. The Spartan pointed the barrel at the door's keyhole as the others stacked up behind her, before powering her shields. She flicked the safety off, then raised her left hand, showing three fingers... They started to drop and the Shock Troopers tensed...

Three... Guns on me.

Two... Not fun for you.

One... You'll be dead and gone...

GO, GO, GO!

The roar of the Magnetic DMR, followed by the fizzling of the Dust-charged Thermite rounds, gave Six a countdown of two nano-seconds... Her armored boot made contact with the burning lock and the door nearly broke, swinging open on only one of its hinges... Alice raised her rifle and fired at the first bastard she saw aiming at her and holding a rifle. The Thermite charge detonated in his shoulder and the man screamed in agony as he burned alive as the Spartan and 3 ODSTs entered the room and opened fire...

Two more bastards, these ones toting AKMs, fell, filled full of holes. They collapsed onto a workbench and tool cabinet, respectively, falling over on top of the said machinery and items, with the shelves falling onto their heads. Alice stuck a left onto the cramped stairwell leading up to the main hallway, with the squad trailing behind her. She punched open the door, sending the shards of wood into another bastard. She caught a good look at him... He was wearing basic civilian clothing, so that was... Not disconcerting at all...

Drawing her Sidearm before the man could raise his M14, Alice dumped two rounds into his chest and one into his head. An automatic weapon fired a 3 second burst and bullets sparked off her shields or penetrated the thin walls around her. She raised her handgun without even looking and fired. The enemy Machine Gun fell silent... Cocking her head toward the kitchen hallway, she saw an M249 SAW... Huh, old Earth guns galore.

She stepped forward from the doorway, letting the ODSTs inside. Reeves' M7 SOCOM spat bullets up the stairs. A man's spine cracking was heard as he tumbled down them. The ODST let loose another stream of rounds up the stairs and a wet _thunk_ followed. Alice, Rick and Hunter moved forward, with the middleman kicking down a door to a closet under the stairs and firing his MA40. The rounds punched through the armed man inside, through the drywall and through the concrete, drawing blood.

Alice drew and swiped with her knife. Her blade pinned someone onto the fridge, blood splattered on some kid's drawings. She fired twice from her pistol and two more men that came in from the courtyard, through the back door, fell dead. She motioned to Hunter to follow Reeves. Rick would stay with Alice as she cleared the courtyard. As the first bastard came into view, more 5,56 rounds sparked off her shields, draining them... Fucking hollow-points...

Her bullets answered. The man had no eyes anymore.

She watched as the Shed's door was kicked down... And a fucking _MINI-GUN_ revved up! Oh, hell to the fuck no! The Spartan drew her DMR and fired at the barrels of the gun out of spite, joyfully watching as the spinning drum boiled and the ammunition inside each barrel cooked off. Another round between the eyes of the girl manning the tripod-mounted, battery-powered Gatling melted her face and brains.

Two more died by Rick's gun. Alice nodded to him, before the duo went inside, only to find Reeves and Hunter pinned down upstairs, the latter with an AP round through his shoulder and still firing his gun. Alice once again went first, taking more rounds to her armor, toward the master bedroom... There, she saw a fat man with what looked like a high-caliber rifle, maybe a .308 or even a .50 BeoWulf... The rounds did drain her shields a lot, but she was still good on walking.

Raising her pistol, the woman watched as the man tried to drag one of his hostages out of hiding... She popped two rounds into his head and...

Through the drywall in front of her, a blurry figure appeared. Alice felt the air knocked out of her lungs as the figure Bull-rushed her through two more walls, before both wound up flying out into the courtyard and impacting the dirt hard enough for Alice's shields to flare and die out. As the smoke around her cleared, Alice awoke with the barrel of an... MA5K Rifle... Pointed at her... With wide eyes, the woman grabbed the barrel, pushing it aside as six rounds spat from it, before she delivered a gut punch to the armored figure, feeling Titanium-A...

The figure staggered off of Alice, doubling over from the hit, before raising its rifle... Alice saw the faint, but familiar ripple of an SPI Armor and everything went blank for her... An Identification Friend or Foe Tag popped up over its... Her head... SIERRA ALPHA 120... Carter had mentioned that number and name in passing. And as the Alpha Company Spartan met Alice with a raised rifle and a rippling Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor set, the Spartan felt three rounds... Two bounced off the Titanium of her armor... A third punched through her left shoulder.

Alice raised her own pistol out of automated responses and reflexes, firing two rounds toward the ghostly Spartan-III. 120 rushed Alice, firing from her rifle, to prevent the Sixth Noble's shields from recharging. Six answered by rushing the woman all the same, making sure her Titanium plating took the brunt of the MA5K's Armor-Piercing 7,62 rounds. She was lucky they were just bouncing for now...

She cocked her fist back and with all the momentum of a freight train, she delivered a haymaker. It made contact with the gauntlet of the SPI armor, deflecting to the left as the most proficient CQC fighter in Alpha outside of Emile headbutted Alice with enough force to crack the SPI's visor slightly. The Spartan-III Alpha went on the offensive, delivering each hammering blow with precision only matched by Jun's sniping skills...

Alice struggled, doubling over and on the back foot against the attacks of her opponent. She dodged and bobbed and weaved, trying to find a good moment to strike and not lucking out just yet... She parried a fist to the left, grabbing the wrist, twisting it and growling "The fuck are you doing, Spartan! We're friendlies!" before feeling her counter the twist. Alice broke off, trying to deliver a punch to her opponent, but missing as the III jumped back...

She bounced a bit around like one would see any stereotypically Asian character who knows martial arts do in any movie, to taunt Alice, before she stopped, to remove her helmet... Tossing aside the broken item revealed to Alice a very pale woman, who wore a grin on her face, her eyes black, with scarlet irises, split pupils and jet-black hair waving in the wind... And a pair of feline ears and longer canines

"Woah, Black Betty..." Alice murmured...

120 chuckled... Then spoke, with a Southern accent matching those you'd hear in any trailer park "So... Yer Hell Alice, then." maintaining her combat pose... "I'd'a thought the second Spartan with a Hyper-Lethal ratin' would be puttin' up more of a fight... What's the matter, darlin', cat got yer tongue?"

"... I'm just surprised I'd ever see a Spartan fighting for the Bad Guys." Alice returned, readying her own fists for a nice ol' scrap. "What's with the fake Southern accent, ya trying to woo some local wankstain, or did I shoot your boyfriend up there?"

"Watch yer tongue, missy. I'm technically older then you." 120 bared her fangs in a malicious grin. "Oh, but I do like'em feisty..." And she winked playfully at Six.

... A flirting, batshit insane Spartan-III "I'm certainly concerned." Alice muttered... Before charging forward and trying to deliver a punch... She feigned a strike, catching 120 by surprise when her uppercut hit her right in the chin. The woman staggered, blood spilling from her nose and half-broken jaw, before the wound healed. As she doubled over, recovering incredibly quick, she laughed, watching Alice's shocked reaction.

"Gosh, you certainly _do not_ hit like a girl..." She mocked, before fixing her jaw back into place. "And, by the way... Ya nailed it with that nickname."

"... What?" Alice's brow quirked up.

"Name's Roberta... But y'can call me Black Betty if ya like, Hell Alice." She smirked... "Listen, darlin', I gotta drop off for now, but we will talk more, I promise." And before Alice could grab or shoot at her... Roberta vanished into a wave of black smoke. She heard the SWAT teams moving in to clear the residence, before her ODSTs joined her, all with helmets off their heads and staring at the wave of smoke dissipating into the sky... And Rick voiced "What the _fuck_ was her deal?"

... Alice probably did _not_ want to know the answer to that.


End file.
